Nutty Popcorn Squares

I've done about half a dozen variations of a no-bake peanut butter cookie my mother used to make when I was a kid. The original version contains equal parts peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup which are boiled together and combined with more than half a box of corn flakes. This diabetes-friendly version swaps the cereal for a high fiber mix spiked with popcorn and flax seeds. Only minimal sugar and honey are used to bind the whole thing together.

Nutty Popcorn Squares

2 cups Fiber Cereal (I used the Whole Foods store brand)
2 1/4 cups Kashi Honey Crisp Ceral
3 cups air-popped popcorn
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup Peanut Butter Chips

Mix the cereals, popcorn, and flax seeds in a large bowl.

In a medium saucepan melt the peanut butter, honey, and sugar together. Bring to a boil and let boil for one minute. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir to coat all the cereal and popcorn. Turn mixture into a 13 X 9 baking dish that has been sprayed lightly with non-stick spray. Press the mixture firmly down with the back of your spatula, sprinkle with the peanut butter chips, press the chips in firmly, and let cool for about an hour before cutting into squares.

Makes 24 squares.

Each square contains 4 grams of fat, 110 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.

Peanut Butter & Flax Cookies

This is quite possibly the easiest cookie you'll ever make. Add that to the fact that they're low glycemic and high fiber, and you'll wonder why you shouldn't eat one or two a day.

Peanut Butter and Flax Cookies

2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/4 cup flax seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix peanut butter, brown sugar blend, eggs, baking soda and vanilla until well mixed. Fold in peanut butter chips and flax seeds.

Use a 1 oz cookie scoop, or a tablespoon measure to drop cookies on to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies.

Each cookie contains 7 grams of fat, 91 calories, 4.5 grams of carbohydrate, 1 gram of fiber and 3.5 grams of protein.