Rice Krispies, or Rice Bubbles to the Aussies and New Zealanders, is a breakfast cereal made from rice and sugar paste. Cooked, dried, and toasted to perfection, this delicious cereal is a favourite amongst South Africans and fellow Rice Krispie connoisseurs worldwide! Who doesn’t love the snap-crackle-pop sound the cereal makes when splashed with lashings of milk? It certainly brings out the Rice Krispie kid in all of us!

But breakfast lovers are not the only ones to have cottoned on to this delicious cereal. Those of us who enjoy a cheeky mid-morning snack or a late-night after-dinner treat are also guilty of indulging in the pleasures of this cereal. The fact that many tasty treats and snacks can be made from this cereal simply magnifies the attraction we feel for these tasty rice granules! And there’s nothing better than homemade rice crispy treats!

Are Rice Krispies healthy?

When choosing a snack, this is the first question those of us battling the proverbial bulge tend to ask. Is it healthy? Snacking, in general, isn’t beneficial if the foods you are choosing are high in calories and sugar. Unfortunately, this is why Rice Krispies have managed to attract a bad name in the dieting world.

However, they are not as unhealthy as you would imagine. Most of their calorific-ness is caused by the types of toppings or ingredients that go into making Rice Krispie treats rather than the actual Rice Krispies themselves!

Benefits of Rice Krispies

If like us, your battle for a tasty but healthy treat or pre-work-out snack leaves you staring at the snack cupboard in confusion, perhaps a Rice Krispie treat is the answer? Here are a few reasons why Rice Krispies could be the ultimate snack for you!

• It’s the perfect quick snack to grab on the go with a busy schedule.
• Rice Krispies are low in calories when eaten as part of a balanced diet.
• They are high in fiber and contain zero fat or cholesterol.
• They are an excellent pre-workout snack
• They contain a high level of protein, meaning you feel full & more alert for longer

Some Rice Krispie treats can be high in sugar due to added flavourings and toppings. Instead, select Rice Krispie treats with lower sugar content for a healthy snack.

Kids vs. Rice Krispies

Health benefits and calories aside, Rice Krispies are also a super fun way of encouraging your kids into the kitchen. Kids love the taste of Rice Krispies, so there won’t be much encouragement needed! Moreover, many Rice Krispy treats are great for beginner chefs as they only require a minimal amount of cooking time. The easy recipes are perfect for those rainy days when kids are stuck indoors and provide a yummy distraction from screens and iPhones! Just add a dash of smarties, a splash of food colouring, copious amounts of chocolate chips, and you have the perfect recipe for those stay-at-home days!

Rice Krispie treats recipe

As fellow foodies, this is our favourite section, the recipe section! So, let’s whip up a decadent batch of treats using this tasty Rice Krispie treats recipe – S’mores Crispy Bars. They are sure to keep the hunger pangs at bay!

What you need

For the bars

• 60 g salted butter cubed
• 10 ounces mini marshmallows (x40 regular marshmallows)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
• 1 ½ cups Tennis biscuits crushed
• 1 x large baking tray – 33×22 cm

For the frosting

• 170 g salted butter (softened)
• 1 cup icing sugar
• X 40 regular marshmallows
• X5 tsp corn syrup (sugar water)
• ¼ cup Tennis biscuits crushed

What to do

For the bars

• Place the butter and marshmallows in a pot over medium heat.
• Next, with a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the mixture until the marshmallows are melted.
• Remove the melted marshmallows from the heat and place the pot on a heat-resistant surface.
• Next, add the Rice Krispies, chocolate chips, and crushed Tennis biscuits to the mixture and stir thoroughly.
• Empty the mixture into a greased baking tray. The mixture will be pretty stiff; use a wooden spatula to press/spread it out in the baking tray. Allow it to cool to room temperature.

For the frosting

• Combine the butter and icing sugar into a smooth paste using an electric beater.
• Next, place the marshmallows into a pot over medium heat. Add the corn syrup or sugar water and stir in gently.
• Continue heating the marshmallows until they are fully melted.
• Add the melted marshmallows to the icing sugar mixture and blend using the electric beater at low speed.
• Spread the frosting over the cool rice crispy bar mixture and sprinkle with the crushed tennis biscuits.
• Finally, slice into bars or squares and refrigerate.

Serve with a glass of fresh milk or a hot beverage of your choice. As South African desserts go, Rice Krispies has to be one of the easiest and tastiest treats to whip up. You could even say that Rice Krispie treats are a traditional South African food!

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