No Bake Nut Butter, Banana & Chocolate Krispie Treats

I REALLY wanted Rice Krispie treats today (yes, I said, "I," not "my kids," but, "I")......I have seen recipes like this on Pinterest before so I thought I would whip up my own version. I had some nice, ripe, brown bananas on the counter (I have to admit I'm always waiting for my bananas to get spotty because then I know I can start baking with them - they also make my smoothies taste better!).  I wanted to incorporate the banana into the treats.  So I threw a few things into my mini food processor (don't forget the vanilla and cinnamon! Yum!), added melted chocolate (always a good idea)....and just to be extra healthy, I threw in some protein packed hemp seeds (which if you haven't ever tried hemp seeds you really need to - they are so tiny and have a mild nutty flavor - they are almost undetectable in baked goods, smoothies and salads - which makes them easy to sneak into foods!).

Let me tell you, it's a miracle these even turned into treats because I was scarfing them like a mad woman straight from the mixing bowl - WOW!!! They are that yummy! Makes a great snack, makes an even better dessert (yes to these Krispie Treats and no to that huge bowl of ice cream!). Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 very ripe banana
1/2 cup peanut butter or any nut butter (I used 1/4 almond and 1/4 peanut....if allergies, use sunbutter)
2 Tbl coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup chocolate chips
4-ish cups of Rice Krispies
2 Tbl hemp seeds, plus more for sprinkling, optional

Directions:

Place banana, nut butter, melted coconut, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and pure maple syrup in a food processor or blender. I used my mini-food processor and it was big enough. Blend ingredients until completely smooth.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips until they are completely smooth (check after a minute, stir, and then cook 30 seconds more).

Place banana mixture and melted chocolate chips into a large bowl. Add the Rice Krispies and hemp seeds, if using. Add until you like the consistency....mine were not super wet.  Stir until completely coated.

Use coconut oil to lightly grease an 8X8 square baking dish. Press Rice Krispie mixture into greased dish and flatten the top with a spoon. If you like you can sprinkle more hemp seeds on top. Place in the 'fridge for at least 30 minutes or until the treats are set. Turn the treats on to a clean cutting board and cut into squares. Enjoy!!