In this ongoing blog series, Christine, a budget-minded mom and Whole Foods Market team member, explores ways to create healthy, organic foods that appeal to both child and husband. Read the other posts by Christine opens in a new tab.
As a child, I have fond memories of visiting Grandma’s house in Pennsylvania. She used to make these really delicious peanut butter balls with a crispy cereal. She’d make some with raisins and some without. I was thinking about those peanut butter balls the other day. With a little creativity, my son and I were inspired to make our own whimsical version of the recipe using a few, fun ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 cup organic creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup organic rolled oats
1/2 cup chia seeds
Organic baby carrots, chopped into little sticks for noses
A handful sunflower seeds, for mouths
A handful organic raisins, for eyes
A couple snips wheat grass, for hair
Flour for rolling
For this recipe, I chose peanut butter (because that’s what was in my cabinet). But you could easily substitute almond butter or any other nut butter. I prefer nut butters that are only made with nuts — no extra oil or sugar. Start by scooping the peanut butter into a medium bowl. This is a sticky endeavor. I recommend using a spatula. Add the oats and chia seeds and gently mix.
The next step is to chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 45 minutes. Once chilled, we are ready to roll (literally). Find a flat surface and cover it with flour. Also cover your hands with flour. Go with whatever type of flour you like to use. Take spoonfuls of the nut butter mixture and roll it into small balls. This recipe can make between 12 to 24 balls, depending on the size that works best for you.
Place the balls on a plate or waxed paper. Now it’s time for the fun part! Grab the carrots, sunflower seeds, raisins and some wheat grass. You’re ready to go!
My son had a blast decorating his very first peanut butter and chia seed faces. We used the raisins for eyes, carrots for the nose and sunflower seeds for the mouth. It was kind of like putting a carrot nose on a snowman. And the best part was using wheat grass for hair. It made my son laugh. This was an enjoyable Saturday afternoon project, and the end result was delicious.
What ideas do you have to make this recipe even more inventive? Share them in the comments section below.
