3-Ingredient Sunflower Butter Treats

on September 9, 2014
in All Posts

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Henry and I got sucked into awesome park action this morning – it’s cloudy and breezy and I don’t feel like my face is melting off the moment I step outside! – and we ended up missing my gym window.  Drat.

 

So to make up for a lost swim, I replaced the effort with this at-home workout. Completed while watching cartoons!

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I’m definitely far into Modified Push-Up Land.  The regular ones are way too challenging.

 

Afterwards – a treat!

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I’ve been loving this super simple recipe – in fact, I’ve made it three times in the last week.  I’ve tried these Rice Krispy-inspired treats with a variety of nut butters plus nut mix-ins, but this pared-down version is actually my favorite.  Runner up: almond butter with sliced almond mix-ins!

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3-Ingredient Sunflower Butter Treats

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 3 cups rice puff cereal
  • 2/3 cup sunflower butter
  • 2/3 cup brown rice syrup

 

Directions:

  • In a large microwavable bowl, heat sunflower butter and brown rice syrup for 1 minute. Stir well.
  • Add in rice cereal and stir to thoroughly coat.
  • Spray a 9 by 9 inch pan with cooking spray and then scoop in cereal mix.  Wet hands with some water and press down firmly.
  • Refrigerate for an hour to set.

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I actually prefer to eat this snack as an addition to vanilla Greek yogurt.  Seriously – it’s SO GOOD.

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Wanna play a game?  Let’s play – what is your pet’s BEST and WORST quality (the Husband and I were playing this last night).

 

Maggie – Best:  Really good at sleeping in our bed – she lays there like a warm lump and never disturbs us.  Also good with Henry.  Worst: Tie between “barks at anything and nothing” and “pees spitefully on the floor.”

James – Best:  Genuinely a good dog who never breaks the rules or causes trouble. Worst: Refuses to come in at night… You have to drag him from the backyard back inside.

Ferguson – Best: Good kitty snuggler.  Worst: Throws food out of his bowl as he eats.  So messy.

 

Your turn!

{ 42 comments }

 

  • Casey September 9, 2014, 1:25 pm

    Lily – Best: An amazing cuddler and always purring! Worst: Climbs trees and can’t get out for :30+ minutes, and the typical “let-me-push-everything-off-the-counter” cat move.

    Jazz – Best: Soft and loves being at home. Worst: Always stays just far enough away so you can’t give him hugs and kisses <3

    Love my fur babies 🙂

  • Krista September 9, 2014, 1:30 pm

    Let’s see….I have 3 cats so here goes…
    Pepper- best snuggler ever, worst at trying to sneak out the front door.
    Zeus-he’s a Bengal so super intelligent, but pees spitefully on our bedroom door sometimes.
    Gatsby-most entertaining of the 3, but likes to get a bit nippy when he’s in a mood.
    PS…Ferguson is gorgeous! 🙂

  • Amanda September 9, 2014, 1:31 pm

    Ha! Love this game – my husband and I talk about it a lot, too.

    Jackson (our older dog) – Best: Totally chill dog who never barks or gets aggressive with people or dogs. Worst: HORRIBLE walker. Will just stop and stare blankly and not move.

    Henry (second dog) – Best: Such a great cuddler, good walker. Worst: Still has a lot of anxiety around strangers, basketballs bouncing, scooters/bikes, etc (rescue dog with issues)

  • Amanda September 9, 2014, 1:36 pm

    Yum, these look delicious! I’ll be trying these soon!

  • Christie September 9, 2014, 1:38 pm

    I have 2 dogs Abbie and Lia.
    Abbie – Best: good with Madeline (my daughter who’s 2.5), gently eats food from your hands. Worst: I’m pretty sure she’s the instigator for eating my daughter’s backpack and the pretzels in it yesterday.

    Lia – Best: Always goes straight to the bathroom when you take her out. No lollygagging. Worst: she regularly drinks too much and vomits in the house. She also will nip your hand when you try to give her something from your hand.

  • Katie M. September 9, 2014, 1:39 pm

    Lucy (2 1/2 year old English bulldog): Best – Quick learner, smart, best butt wiggles there are. Worst – REFUSES to walk without luring her around the block with treats (yes, defeats the purpose of said walk)

    Isaac (8 1/2 year old English bulldog): Best – LOVES to walk, goofy nature (he’s like a kid). Worst – does NOT do well with other dogs, too strong for my 5-2 frame!

  • Liz September 9, 2014, 2:24 pm

    Annie (Yellow Lab) – Best: LOVES all people and is super gentle, playful, and cuddly. Worst: Her anal glands do not “express” themselves naturally, so once a month or so I have to literally stick a (gloved) finger up her butt to do it. Good times had by all. I had no idea dogs had anal glands before our vet informed us of this lovely surprise.

    • Caitlin September 9, 2014, 2:50 pm

      Hahahah ahahahahhsgh dk;lgjpogjofgj <--- I'm dying.

    • Anne September 9, 2014, 3:02 pm

      I hire that task out to the vet every couple of months. $16 is worth my poop & butt-juice free hand.

      • Liz September 9, 2014, 3:45 pm

        I used to have the vet do it, but eventually I decided that my laziness outweighed the gross out factor, haha 🙂

  • Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed September 9, 2014, 2:28 pm

    Puddin:
    – Best cuddler, cutest “pathetic” faces, and so excited to see you that her whole body wiggles
    – Scratches doors if she can’t get them open when she wants to, can only eat out of raised or heavy bowls because she’ll knock the entire thing over, skin allergies = tons of vet trips

    Oh fur babies! They are lucky they’re so cute 🙂

  • Beks September 9, 2014, 2:31 pm

    Jane- Good: Can be a good snuggler. Bad: She keeps scratching and pulling her fur out. :'( That’s more a mental thing than a bad thing, but I still feel bad when I need to give her meds
    Henry- Good: AWESOME snuggler and player when he wants to be. Bad: He never learned not to bite or nip (he was abandoned when he was about four weeks old, and I fed him on kitten formula). So annoying!
    Tris- Good: The sweetest and most nurturing of all of our cats. She kept my mom’s spirits up while mom was going through chemo and recovery after her mastectomy. Bad: Since we moved, she spitefully poops on my bedroom floor, right next to her *clean* box.

    Frisket: Good-Very happy-go-lucky dog. As sweet as he could be. Bad: such a whiner and beggar when he wants to be. He’s lucky he looks like a baby Ewok! 😉

  • Anne September 9, 2014, 3:01 pm

    April (WGSD/Corgi mix, kind of like James):
    Best: super easy going, rarely if ever barks, lets us sleep until noon
    Worst: escape artist, goes dead limp if she doesn’t want to come in. She weighs 60lb, so it’s pretty funny looking to move her.

  • Barbara September 9, 2014, 3:37 pm

    My cat. Best quality – greets me at the door and always needs to be having attention by everyone in the room. Worst – meows like an alarm clock at my door at 5 am ( when i usually wake up), most annoying on the weekends.

  • Lauren September 9, 2014, 4:15 pm

    Brady (3 y.o. Sheltie)- best: he is overall the best dog. He’s very calm but also love to play and he loves me best 🙂 worst-hates getting groomed and doesn’t like the car…only dog I know who hates the car haha.

    Scooby (1 y.o. Terrier mix)- best: happiest dog on the planet and an adorable snuggler. Worst: So. Much. Energy! And let’s his impulse win out every time!

    Gotta love those furry friends!

  • erin September 9, 2014, 4:44 pm

    hmmmm.. that’s a tough one as we’re still getting to know cota.

    Cota is a cute 10 month shiba inu. her best qualities are that she’s been awesome with the training that we’ve put her through. she’s very laid back… she likes being in the same room as you but not a cuddler which i love!

    her worst qualities which i find hilarious is how she barks and growls at her raw hide every time i give it to her. and how when we walk she has to sniff EVERY DAMN thing!

  • Chelsea@TableForOne September 9, 2014, 4:54 pm

    Ohhh! Those look so simple and yummy. I might have to try these. I love peanut butter in my Rice Krispy Treats

  • Nicole September 9, 2014, 4:58 pm

    I think my English bulldogs best qualities are also his worst. He’s super high energy (especially for a bulldog), has such personality and loves (really loves) everyone, but that means when we have people over or are just around other people, he gets totally crazy. He just can’t contain his excitement!

  • Samantha B. September 9, 2014, 6:02 pm

    My dog-baby Meeka: Best- LOVES (and I mean L-O-V-E-S) every single person and dog she meets. Greets every person/dog with licking, kisses, tail wagging, jumping, hilarious over-the-top excitement. Worst- is OBSESSED with placing pieces of her dog food all over the house. In the bed, on the couch, on the floor, everywhere.

    I LOVE talking about my baby girl and love reading about other people’s pets as well 🙂

  • Linda @ Fit Fed and Happy September 9, 2014, 7:10 pm

    Looks healthier and way better than rice krispies! Man I wish my grandmother made these when I was little.

  • Kimberly September 9, 2014, 7:25 pm

    Ferguson is so cute! My husband and I adopted two kittens a few months ago, so we’re still learning their quirks but here are a few things we know so far:

    Ozzy – Best: Super mellow – will pretty much stay wherever you put him and purr. Worst: Loves to cuddle your face or sleep on your head at night and is VERY persistent.
    Axel – Best: Loves being near you and will follow you around the house and is super vocal. Worst: Likes to suck on his brother Ozzy’s feet when he’s feeling really happy, which makes Ozzy not so happy.

  • Sam September 9, 2014, 8:00 pm

    I love talking about pets 🙂

    Dog #1:
    Best- she is pretty chill when she’s inside. She mainly just hangs out by your feet and wants an occasional bully rub.
    Worst- has a new obsession with chewing up feminine hygiene products. Leave the bathroom cabinet open and this girl is in heaven.

    Dog #2:
    Best: he might really be the sweetest dog ever
    Worst: he is in your face all.the.time wanting attention

  • Kathy September 9, 2014, 9:51 pm

    Well my cat is, of course, perfect but for the sake of the game: best: she’s a love bug who always wants to be in the same room we’re in
    Worst, she goes to the curtains in the dining room to wipe her paws after using the litter box…every time. Good thing she’s cute

    • Reenie September 10, 2014, 10:35 am

      OMG!! That is hilarious!! 😀

  • Holly September 9, 2014, 10:10 pm

    Those rice krispy things look soooo good! Love sunbutter but never thought to use it that way!

    Allie(dog): best – great running buddy and shadow (follows me like my shadow). worst – spitefully poops in the house
    Frodo (dog): best – no cares in the world, great vacuum for spilled food. worst – eats underware/running shorts left on the floor.
    Theodore (cat): best – best animal in the house at fetch, can be really sweet. worst – bites me awake in the morning
    Bellatrix (cat): best – snuggles with me at night. worst – tries to escape when ever the back door is opened

  • Nicole @ Squash on Squash September 9, 2014, 10:57 pm

    Yum!!! I recently purchased some Sunflower butter and really enjoyed it with overnight oats, bananas, and even in protein bars. I’ve made a recipe similar to your Sunflower butter treats with Peanut butter and honey before, and they were a huge hit amongst my teammates! Plus, they’re suuuuper easy to make!

  • Erin September 10, 2014, 2:12 am

    Joby, 3.5 y.o. lab…. Best: great snuggler, super smart and very intuitive (to our emotions)…. Worst: eats my underwear!

    I love seeing everyone’s pet posts!

  • Tara September 10, 2014, 7:37 am

    Meggo (7 yo feline) Best – Well behaved (never scratches anything she’s not supposed to) and is sweet as can be. Worst – Terrified of all womankind except for me. Hates Zoe.

    Zoe: (6 yo feline) Best – Softest, warmest fur and loud purr. Worst – Obnoxiously loud meow and is constantly shredding my favorite chair. Hates Meggo.

  • Heidi September 10, 2014, 10:11 am

    Sonic (11 year old Border Collie):
    Best: Very, very fantastic runner. Always out front in the lead and never strays from the path. I think she believes running is her job. She also pees and poops on command.
    Worst: Not very cuddly, not good at meeting other dogs (does fine once they allow her to be alpha).

    Ruby (4 month old Australian Shepherd)
    Best: She ADORES her people so much – absolutely lives for them. The way she greets you in the morning, after work or even if you’ve just left the room to go to the bathroom is infectious.
    Worst: She is really still pretty ‘mouthy’ and has her razor sharp teeth – can’t wait for them to fall out!!! She is also trying to learn to harrass her excitement and natural instinct to chase things that move. It’s a challenge for a 5 year old boy to understand he can’t run or else he will be nipped and herded by Ruby.

  • Reenie September 10, 2014, 10:34 am

    . . . what is your pet’s BEST and WORST quality ~

    Lucy (14 yr old cat) ~ BEST ~ sleeps with me on my pillow ~ although she’s a pillow hog, I can’t sleep without her touching my head. 🙂 WORST ~ hides from company.

    Dezi (1 yr old kitty) ~ BEST ~ she sleeps in her own bed, but will come into my bed around 4:00 a.m., and snuggle up by my neck…. she used to suck on my neck, now she licks. I was afraid I’d wake up with “kitty hickies” 😮 I think she was taken from her Mommy too soon. (her and her 2 brothers were dumped out in the country) WORST ~ she’s a biter!! HA!! Every time I go to pet her, she immediately bites. This last week, I’ve started working on telling her NO BITE ….. it seems to be working….. most of the time. :/ Oh, also she hides and attacks Lucy for no reason ~ ~ she’s a lil stinker!!!

  • Chandra September 10, 2014, 11:40 am

    I have a cat and a dog (Champ: a massive, long-haired black cat and Mitch: a one year old, crazy Boston Terrier)…here goes:

    Champ – best: he’s generally low maintenance, only wants attention here and there and is happy to be left alone. Worst: he doesn’t bury his business in the litter box. I live in an apartment so we know very quickly after he’s used it.

    Mitch: he’s the most loveable little guy, loves every person, dog and cat he sees. Worst: he eats out of said litter box if you don’t keep a good eye on him.

    They can both be infuriating at times, but I can’t imagine not having either of them around 🙂

  • Mel September 10, 2014, 12:23 pm

    Totally unsolicited advice, but I work with high-risk rescue animals – dogs mostly, and whenever I read about issues owners are having with their animals, I feel compelled to offer my opinion (mostly because it’s usually a really simple fix and both the owner and pet are happier for it)!

    We, as owners, assign human emotions to our pets. Animals don’t do things “out of spite,” they just aren’t capable of it; their brains don’t work that way.

    Generally, if you have a pet that is peeing on the floor/bed/outside of the predetermined “potty” area, it is a training issue (you, as the owner, did not train them fully), a medical issue (old age, bladder infection, weak bladder), or the animal doesn’t like where you’ve requested him/her to go (this one mostly applies to cats; they can be litter and litter box picky).

    Take your concerns (and your dog) to a trusted vet! If the vet says she’s OK; retrain her! You can train/retrain a dog at any age, and there are even people you can hire to help you (they train you AND your pet hehe)! There is NO SUCH THING as an untrainable dog, just unwilling owners.

    Good luck! 🙂

    • Caitlin September 10, 2014, 3:23 pm

      I really wish someone could help me with Maggie’s peeing and no one has ever been able to. I took her to the vet recently because there’s been an uptick in the behavior and it has, in the past, signaled an infection. But this time, she’s fine. No bladder infection or anything.

      I take her out ALL THE TIME (like, every two hours). She knows she’s not supposed to go potty inside. I say she pees out of spite because she will truly do it when she feels like she’s being “ignored” – i.e. if I close the bathroom door while I’m giving Henry a bath, she will go into my bedroom and pee next to my bed, even if I took her out 30 minutes before. Sometimes she is squeaking out the LITTLEST bit of pee. Or the smallest kernal of shit. Hah! That’s the one that really makes me LOL – I call them her spite turds. I get what you’re saying about perscribing a human emotion (spite) to an animal, but I do feel like she is punishing me when she does it!

      Also, I do feel like this is worth noting, but I have had an animal trainer tell me that Maggie is not trainable. I really do not believe she is very trainable. Maggie – God, I love her but this is the truth – is dumb as rocks. She is painfully stupid. A trainer TRULY told me once that she was not trainable beyond basic commands.

      Thoughts??? Do you have any suggestions for what I can do when she does it? I usually just clean it up without addressing it because I’ve heard its not helpful to yell at them or whatever. I spend so much time (and energy) making sure she is not alone/ignored/locked out of rooms when I move rooms because I know she will get mad at me if I do. At this point, I’m mostly preventive and I don’t know what else to do.

      • Mel September 10, 2014, 5:51 pm

        I am appalled that a professional told you that your dog was not trainable. EVERY HEALTHY DOG CAN BE TRAINED! Only in rare cases will you find a dog that literally cannot be trained (usually due to neurological illnesses or extreme abuse/phobias as a puppy). You just need to take the time to figure out what drives Maggie; if she knew what you wanted her to do (or not do), she would do it. It’s as simple as that. It’s more likely that she just isn’t yet properly trained. Again, dogs aren’t wired to do things out of spite or anger, even if it feels that way. They are simple minded creatures and they want to obey and please. Dogs, like children, must find a learning style that works for them and as the owner (or parent) it is YOUR responsibility to help them. You should never punish or yell at a dog for not doing as it’s told (or peeing on the bed) because those methods never work, and you end up with a fearful animal who will pee/poop/bite as a fear response. You would never call your child stupid, so don’t call your dog stupid; your dog is not stupid (even in a cute way). A frustrated owner means a frustrated dog.

        Owning a pet is a lot of work, far beyond just basic needs and care and some dogs are more work than others. You should never just give up and say, “oh well, she just is this way and there is nothing I can do about it!” Chances are, she isn’t happy either! If I were you, I would call your local humane society (and maybe a few vet offices) and get the names of several trainers and the first question I would ask is, “do you believe that there are some dogs that are not trainable?” and if they say, “yes,” hang up and call someone else.

        • Caitlin September 10, 2014, 6:28 pm

          I like the idea to call and ask that. For what it’s worth, I do think that Maggie suffered from neglect and abuse as a puppy up til we adopted her at two years. She was hit, shuttled between two households, and crated for really long periods of time where she sat in her own feces and urine for hours. She exhibits a lot of neurotic/separation issue behaviors. Like – a crazy amount. We give her medication that the vet recommended for her anxiety but it doesn’t help with some of the behaviors. And she is really and truly not the smartest dog in the universe, which I do not think helps the issue.

          The peeing issue is something we have always dealt with, and it’s annoying but I can handle it because I love her so much, ya know? I’m not any more frustrated with it than I ever been, but obviously I would prefer not to deal with it. I just have no idea where to even start with the stopping the peeing thing because it’s a negative behavior that you somehow have to stop (not like a positive behavior that you induce with treats?).

          Maybe a really advanced trainer would be able to help us. I’ll look into it! I actually just realized I know someone who might be able to at least weigh in before I commit to a big training package. Thanks for the motivation to look into it!

  • BM September 10, 2014, 12:54 pm

    I don’t know that it’s fair to say those are your dogs “worst qualities”. What you listed aren’t really qualities, per say, they’re learned behaviors that can be changed with some training, time and effort.

  • Bobbie September 10, 2014, 1:29 pm

    We only have one pet and that’s our cockapoo Duffy.
    Best trait: He is so good with our 3 young girls. He puts up with pretty much anything from them.
    Worst trait: He sits in our front window all day and barks at anything and everything!

  • Mgan September 10, 2014, 2:04 pm

    Recon: Best quality – He’s a super smart and sweet dog. Worst quality – He scares easy and tends to pee all over whatever he’s standing on when he’s scared.

    Reagan: Best quality – Great at cuddling. Worst quality – does not listen to her owners.

    • Megan September 10, 2014, 2:06 pm

      Both of my dogs are miniature dachshunds.

  • Kate S. September 10, 2014, 8:05 pm

    This is totally unsolicited, but seeing that you’re including planks in your workouts, I wanted to give you a heads up that at this point in your pregnancy, that kind of core exercise can cause diastasis recti. Your abdominal muscles (I’m saying this as if it’s not totally obvious to you–ha!) aren’t exactly contracting how they do when you’re non-preggers, and often planks end up pushing the belly out more rather than contracting it in, so they’re not doing a whole heck of a lot for you anyway. Side planks (supported if needed) should be okay (you can still work the obliques pretty normally) and anything that puts you in a deep posterior tilt in the pelvis are good too–get those pelvic floor muscles into it! If you google “pregnancy half rollback,” that should kind of show what I’m talking about with the posterior tilt in the pelvis.

    Forgive the unsolicited advice and feel free to ignore it! This is just what I’d tell my Pilates clients who want to work core strength safely through their pregnancies :).

    • Caitlin September 10, 2014, 8:15 pm

      No, thank you for this! I was starting to wonder if I needed to quit that kind of stuff, and I was thinking I was nearing the time… So this is helpful to read. I can still do them comfortably/in the right position, but I knew the end was nigh. Thanks for looking out for me (and my abs, hah).

  • Elizabeth H, blogger for SunButter September 16, 2014, 12:06 pm

    Hi Caitlin,
    What a simply wonderful recipe! Of course I appreciate it since I blog for the SunButter brand of sunflower butter, but as a fellow snack-making mom, I’m eager to try these at the park and beyond. Thanks for the inspiration!

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