No-Bake Cereal Protein Bites

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Good morning and happy Monday!  Did everyone have a good weekend?  We were at a pirate pub crawl at the beach Saturday, and then Mike's dad arrived in town late that night.  It's been go-go-go since then, and I know today is going to be one of those where I need all the caffeine I can find.  I'm the type of person who doesn't necessarily hit the snooze button a million times, instead, the night before, I just set the alarm for the last possible second I can to have time to wake up, shower, change, and run out the door.  What suffers?  Breakfast.  I tell myself I'll grab something on the way to work or when I get there, but I typically don't and am starving well before lunch time.  To speed up my morning prep and make sure I have breakfast ready, I have begun making these delicious cereal bites each weekend.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 cups of your favorite Kellogg's cereal (I purchased Rice Krispies 18 oz for this week as well as Apple Jacks 17 oz for next)
1/3 cup each of three mix-ins (your choice of flaked coconut, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips)

Directions:
1. In the microwave, heat peanut butter in a large bowl for 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds.
2. Once peanut butter is melted, add in honey and stir to combine.
3. Pour in Rice Krispies, then mix-ins.  My favorite combination is dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and coconut flakes.
4. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and pour cereal mix up to the top in each cup.
5. Press down the mixture in each cup to form individual bars.  To keep your finger from sticking to the peanut butter, lightly spray them with baking spray.
6. Top each cup with a few more mix-ins, (I also like adding a few mini chocolate chips at this step) and allow one hour to set.

This recipe makes 12 cups.  I place two cups in five zip-top bags, and these protein bites are so delicious that I end up eating at least one each Sunday when I'm prepping for the week!

If you're looking for even more inspiration for tasty combinations, just head to the cereal aisle at Target where you can find large sized Kellogg cereals for $2.99 both in-store and online at Target.com.

If I'm looking to switch it up a little, another cereal favorite is Apple Jacks with peanuts, dry oatmeal, and butterscotch chips.  For even more breakfast recipes, visit the Kellogg social hub!

Are you a breakfast person? How many times did you hit the snooze button this Monday morning?