Chocolate Cherry Almond Krispy Treats with a Pomegranate Icing Drizzle

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So, just like every other day, I was in dire need of a dessert.  You know, something crunchy, yet chewy, something mild in flavor but with a unique, zippy and zingy taste.

I looked in my pantry and found a box of brown rice krispies resting nicely on the shelf.
I was going to make krispy treats.  It was fate.

But what flavors would be the answer to my sugar craving, without providing any guilt to my otherwise healthy diet?

The first thing that popped into my head was:  chocolate  (yes, chocolate can be healthy!)

I grabbed some chocolate protein powder and looked around for something sweet and tart.  I saw a bag of dried cherries on the very top shelf and reached for it.  I'm usually not a fan of cherries (especially dried cherries), but if it was paired with chocolate I was definitely willing to try it out!

I grabbed the brown rice syrup and thought of what nut butter would go well with chocolate and cherries.  The first thing I thought of was:  almond butter  (chocolate, cherry and almond is a classic combo!)

Let me just tell you, these krispy treats were amaaazziinngg!!!!  Yes, four exclamation points were necessary.

The chocolate and vanilla created the perfect base for the other flavors, and the almond extract and cherries added the zippy flavor I was looking for.  The cherry flavor did not come through as much as I thought it would, so next time I would add half a cup more.  Overall, though, the cherries definitely provided chewiness and sweetness to the super soft and satisfying krispy treats.

Although I got the zippy flavor from the almond extract and cherries, I was missing the zing!  I looked around my pantry once more and saw the pomegranate powder I recently bought and thought it was perfect!  It created the most flavorful (and colorful) icing I have ever made, not to mention pretty  :)

I absolutely loved the drizzle.  It added tartness, sweetness and presentation to the krispy treats--it definitely took them to the next level!  The burst of bright pink color makes these look like a decadent, bad-for-you dessert while it's all actually 100% healthy!

Chocolate Cherry Almond Krispy Treats:  [no bake, low fat, high protein, GF, vegan]
(makes 9 large treats or 16 small)

   150g (5 cups) Crispy Brown Rice Cereal
   48g (1/2 cup) Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (GF if you like)
   13g (2 tbs) Flaxseed Meal
   1/8 tsp Salt

   210g (1/2 cup + 2 tbs) Brown Rice Syrup
   128g (1/2 cup) Raw Almond Butter
   1/2-1 cup Dried Cherries, chopped (no sugar added)
   1 tbs Vanilla Extract
   3/4 tsp Almond Extract
   3/4 tsp Stevia Extract

   64g (2 scoops) Chocolate Protein Powder

   Pomegranate Icing Drizzle, recipe below

Directions:
1.  Line a brownie pan with parchment paper both ways.
2.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cereal, oats, flax and salt.
3.  In a large, microwave-safe bowl, stir together the rice syrup, almond butter, cherries and extracts.  Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring between each one, until mixture is runny.
4.  Add the protein powder to the wet ingredients, one spoonful at a time, until incorporated.
5.  Scoop the mixture over the dry ingredients and fold together.  Scoop mixture into the brownie pan and flatten.  Refrigerate while you make the Pomegranate Icing Drizzle!


Pomegranate Icing Drizzle:
   24g (2 tbs) Powdered Erythritol
   15g (2 tbs) Pomegranate Powder
   ~1/2 tbs Water

Directions:
1.  Add the erythritol and pomegranate powder to a small bowl, then add the water and stir (it should not be liquidy, it should be somewhat thick).  Pipe using a very small tip or use a sandwich bag and snip a tiny corner.  Refrigerate for 30+ minutes to firm the icing and serve!

It's best to slice the treats and then top with the drizzle, you know, so you get more drizzle on each treat  ;)