I really like the idea of having my daughter help me in the kitchen, but it seems like it often turns into a messy, stressful time with the something in the recipe going wrong. But this recipe is foolproof! It takes 15 minutes tops (so no one's attention wanders), and even your toddlers could do 80% of it by themselves. And the results taste like cookies but are much more healthy, so everyone wins!

I follow this recipe, loosely, and change it depending on what I already have in my kitchen. Today I used oatmeal, peanut butter, chia seeds, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and honey for sweetening.

I start with the measurements suggested in the recipe above, and then tweak the amounts until I get a consistency that isn't too sticky or too crumbly.

And after this, Mom's job is done! The kids can take it from here. Just combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, and use a spoon (or your hands) to mix them completely: 

Then have them roll it into small balls (I did about 1", but even smaller would be nice so that they're bite-sized).  

I keep them in the fridge (they're best chilled) for when someone needs an energy boost - even though that's usually me :). Hope you enjoy!