It IS healthy! Well, it was until I added butter and marshmallows. Introducing the ultimate midnight snack:

Desserts / September 17, 2014

It’s like a nervous tick. It’s late at night, you know you’re about to go to sleep, yet to need to stuff your face with something. These are never moments of clarity. Choosing a wise snack is all but impossible during the yawning, yearning munchie phase. And yet, I was able to compromise and create something that is healthy but gooey. Ta-dah! Mission accomplished.

These TEAM CHEERIO MARSHMALLOW TREATS with TRAIL MIX PEANUT BUTTER TOPPING are made by simply using Team Cheerios instead of puffed rice cereal in your favorite marshmallow treat recipe. Then take your favorite trail mix, add a few more chocolate chips (mine was homemade, using dark chocolate chunks,) warm it in the micro, add several heaping tablespoons of smooth peanut butter to the trail mix, and spread on top of the Cheerio mixture. Crunchy, sweet, even a bit fruity when you bite into a raisin, and always a fave with peanut butter.

I know. Brilliant!!! Well, cooking is never stupid. Eating at midnight maybe. Enough said.

Cheerios PB and Trail Mix Marshmallow Bars

SERVES 12

Ingredients:

2 T or half stick butter
3 C mini marshmallows
5-6 C Multi-Grain Cheerios
½ C dry roasted peanuts
½ C cashew bits
1/3 C raisins
¼ C currants
½ C dark chocolate morsels
1/3 C smooth peanut butter

Direction:

Melt the butter in micro. Add the marshmallows and heat until they’re melted and you can whisk them into a white, creamy mixture. Add the Cheerios. Spread into a buttered square dish. Any size is fine based on how thick or thin you want them. Now, mix the nuts, currants, raisins, and chocolate and heat in micro til chocolate is soft but not too hot. Add the peanut butter and mix thoroughly. Spread the mixture over the Cheerios. Let cool. Cut and serve!