In an effort towards health, both nutritional and budgetary, I decided to make no-bake cookies. I thought if I reduced the amount of sugar, these could possibly qualify as a healthy alternative to granola bars for the kids lunches. At least I know exactly what's in them...

Being the end of the month we are out of grocery money. We don't usually hold ourselves very strictly to the Dave Ramsey plan, though we have good intentions too, but this month we are. It was more of a challenge to ourselves...can we make the food we have stretch to last the month? To that we'll find out the answer tomorrow when I make the kids lunches. 

But for now I know we have our 'granola bar' alternatives if nothing else. No-bake cookies are my kids favorites. I always rely on an old cookbook from my mother-in-law's mom. All the recipes are typed out and it's in an small old blue stained binder. It's a never fail recipe which is a must for me, I'm somewhat of a distracted chef.

This go around I made bars instead of cookies and too our surprise we like them better that way. Well the kids do...cookies don't quite fit my hypoglycemic eating plan. If you would like to give this a try here's the recipe:

2 cups sugar (I only did 1 cup)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup nuts (optional)
coconut (optional)

Take first four ingredients and bring to a good boil. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Then remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients and beat until well mixed. Then drop by spoonful on waxed paper and let cool. (I smushed it all into a baking dish.)

Recipe credit goes to Mrs. Roy Kliewer. The cookbook is the Cherished Cookery, published by the Junior Mission Circle of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Corn, Oklahoma in April of 1964.


Enjoy!

Photo credit: whatsmeganmaking