Apple Rings with Peanut Butter and Krispies, an old Girl Scout favorite!

Peanut butter may very well be my "Nectar of the Gods".  Spanning the years our relationship has grown from the plain but perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had almost daily to Peanut Butter Pies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Smoothies and Peanut Satay.  Basically, if it has peanut butter in it I'm most likely going to love it, and somehow that peanut butter gene was passed on to my kids.  When an offer from Foodbuzz's Tastemaker Program and Planter's came across to try Planter's new creamy peanut butter the "Yes, please!" was a no brainer.

After receiving our notification that the peanut butter was in the mail however, I got just a bit worried.  I've been very brand loyal to my peanut butter for over 30 years, would it be OK to try something new?  What if I didn't like it, what would I say?  Thankfully I didn't have to worry.

First out of the package we did the ultimate peanut butter taste test... right off a spoon.  Rich, peanut flavor melted in our mouths and all three of us reached for a second taste.  Slightly creamier than I'm used to, but that might actually be a good thing.

Secondly, the peanut butter sandwich.  My BFF since the 7th grade when I complained to my mom about the lunch she had packed and she gently (but in no uncertain terms) informed me that I could be in charge of my own lunch henceforth.  PB&J's came to school with me daily for years and I never tired of them.  And Planter's Peanut Butter did indeed pass the PB&J test with flying colors!

While peanut butter is indeed caloric, it holds an important role in our diets with health benefits including a high protein score, monounsaturated fats which eaten in moderation have been shown to help reduce "bad" cholesterols, and fairly high quantities of dietary fiber - again helping to regulating both blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels.  A good source of energy, peanut butter is a food I try to get Liv to eat on hectic dance rehearsal days to get her through the long hours of practice with fuel to spare.

Not only healthy in moderation, peanut butter seems to be popular with most of the kids I have come in contact with and one of our favorite Girl Scout snacks included apples, peanut butter and some sort of krispie cereal.  I believe that I started out with plain puffed rice cereal, but somewhere along the line the cereal of choice turned to a chocolate puffed rice and we've just let that one be.

In short, apples are sliced into rounds, the center cut out (did you know that the cross cut of an apple showing the seeds is an adorable flower??  These are good for making paint stamps, just fyi) and spread with peanut butter.  A bit of a messy job, but something that the kids can do on their own and then top with the crunchy cereal.

Peanut Butter, apples and cereal... a fun snack that mom is happy with.

Apple, Peanut Butter, Puffed Rice Snacks

Troop 1163, Girl Scout Snacks

1 Apple, cut into rounds, cores cut out (making rings)

peanut butter

puffed rice cereal (plain or chocolate)

Place apples onto an easily cleaned up surface.  Spread with peanut butter and top with puffed rice.  Enjoy... then wash sticky fingers!