Even if you have a peanut allergy, you can enjoy this snack fave

Organic veggies, fruits, and meats take up the biggest portion of our food dollar, and snacks fall to near bottom on our shopping list. But, occasionally, we’ll toss a bag of chips into the shopping cart to munch later while we catch an old movie. Our food co-op carries yummy snack choices.

With daughter Heather’s birthday last week came the idea to surprise her with Puppy Chow, one of her all-time favorite snacks. From kidhood on, Puppy Chow was her go-to, happy, comfort snack. She made it for my mom countless times, at her request, when out-of-town relatives visited. It wasn’t the chocolate in the Puppy Chow that resonated so heartily with Heather; it was the peanut butter. And, darn the luck, about ten years ago, she developed an allergy to it. Peanut butter allergy sufferers everywhere know how many foods and candies contain peanut butter. Is it worth it to cheat? Mmmm, no. The problems linger long past the enjoyment.

The co-op is a treasure trove of wonderful foods and wonderful alternatives. Thanks to their bulk department, I could honor Heather’s avoidance of peanut butter, yet give her that fabulous, familiar food on her special day. I scooped 8 oz. of organic cashew butter into one of the  containers they provide, and scouted for a cereal alternative to the one used in the original recipe. Voila! Cascadian Farm organic multi-grain squares to the rescue! I had almost goofed.  To save a couple bucks, I nearly bought cereal from a conventional grocery store. Couldn’t do it. I know with strong certainty that brand cereals are made with GMO grains. I paid the tab, and raced back to our kitchen.

When I peeled the lid off the container holding the Puppy Chow, Heather’s eyes grew as big as saucers. She was delighted—ecstatic even?—and I was thrilled that she could enjoy this venerable snack on her birthday while we watched a Donald O’Connor movie that evening.

Puppy Chow with organic cashew butter--drool-worthy!

In case you love Puppy Chow but have an allergy to peanut butter, too, or if you’ve never experienced this delicious snack, try my adapted recipe. If cashew butter’s not your thing, or if it’s not available, substitute almond butter. In all honesty, though, cashew butter has a much deeper, much richer flavor, and after a few bites of the Puppy Chow, neither of us  could tell whether it was peanut or cashew butter.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic cashew butter

• 2 cups organic chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate, not semi-sweet)

• 2 sticks organic butter

• 1 13-ounce box of Cascadian Farm Organic multi-grain cereal

• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

You’ll need:

• A one-quart saucepan

• A long-handled spoon

• A large mixing bowl

• A large plastic bag with closure

Method: Melt the two butters and chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat. Check and stir frequently to avoid scorching.

In a large bowl, empty the entire box of cereal.**

After the butters and chips have melted, slowly pour the mixture over the cereal. Unless you sprout another pair of hands, you may have to put the saucepan down for a minute as you gently stir to mix. All done? Set the bowl aside to cool a bit.

Into the zippered plastic bag pour the cereal mixture, then add the powdered sugar. Zip the bag shut, and gently shake the bag until the powdered sugar has coated all pieces.

Store the fresh Puppy Chow in a lidded container.

**When I’d first poured the cereal into the bowl, I was a little alarmed. “This won’t make much,” I thought. How wrong I was! The coating adds girth to each multi-grain square!

Enjoy these good eats!