More muddy buddies, what what!

If you haven’t already guessed it: muddy buddies are probably my go-to snack.  I’ve shared s’mores muddy buddies, football-inspired muddy buddies, and these candy cane muddy buddies over the past couple of years. And now these.

Strawberries and cream muddy buddies!

Once again, Valentine’s Day inspired me with this simple-to-make snack.  I figured that nothing said Valentine’s Day more than some strawberries.  And what pairs perfectly with strawberries?

Besides chocolate.

Cream!

As soon as I picked my flavor combination, I got to brainstorming exactly how I was going to make the strawberry flavor POP!  And the key ingredient?  Dehydrated strawberries!

I used dehydrated strawberries for Audrey’s first birthday.  I processed them until they formed a powder, and then I added them to some buttercream frosting resulting in the most delicious strawberry buttercream I had ever tasted.  So, dehydrated strawberries were a must.  However, if you’ve been reading my blog for a bit, you know I kind of live in the middle of nowhere, where it’s impossible to find specific ingredients.

Specifically the ingredients I tend to need.

I felt like I was on a scavenger hunt trying to find these darn things.  First, the local grocer.  They had everything but.  Dehydrated mangos, bananas, apples.  But no strawberries.  The next stop had a dehydrated fruit mix – with strawberries, bananas, blueberries and apples.  While I was tempted to purchase the bag and just pick out the strawberries, I wondered how many bags I would actually need before I reached the desired amount.  The next location I stopped at had just discontinued the brand they were carrying.  So, after a day of driving around the entire state of Pennsylvania (or what felt like it), I admitted defeat and drove home – determined to purchase the strawberries from Amazon.

Fortunately, right next to my Amazon app is my Target app, and I figured why the heck not.  And there they were.  I immediately messaged my sister, who seems to live at Target, and asked her when she was making her next trip out there.  And wouldn’t you guess it – she was on her way.  I finally found the ingredient I needed and ended up having it by the following day.

Moral of the story: you NEED those strawberries to make this happen. And Target is spectacular at having things that no other place does.

Strawberries & Cream Muddy Buddies

serves 9 (1/2 c servings)

white muddy buddies

• 2 c. Chex cereal
• 1/4 c. white chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp. protein powder*
• 1/2 c. erythritol, powdered
• 1 tbsp. red, pink, and white nonpareils

red muddy buddies

• 2 c. Chex cereal
• 1/4 c. red Wilton candy melts
• 2 tbsp. protein powder*
• 2 tbsp. powdered dehydrated strawberries**
• 1/2 c. erythritol, powdered

additional

• 1/2 c. dehydrated strawberries

To make the white muddy buddies: Place the white chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals until completely melted.  Measure out two cups of Chex cereal and add to the candy mixture, using a spatula, making sure to coat evenly.

In a Ziploc bag, add the protein powder, powdered erythritol, and nonpareils. Pour the chocolate-coated Chex cereal into the bag, seal it up, and shake until the cereal is completely covered in the mixture.  Pour out onto a baking sheet, and set aside.

To make the red muddy buddies: Place the red candy  melts into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals until completely melted.  Measure out two cups of Chex cereal and add to the candy mixture, using a spatula, making sure to coat evenly.

In a Ziploc bag, add the protein powder, powdered dehydrated strawberries, and erythritol.  Pour the candy-coated Chex cereal into the bag, seal it up, and shake until the cereal is completely covered in the mixture.  Pour onto the same baking sheet as the white muddy buddies.

Add the dehydrated strawberries to the baking dish with the muddy buddies and mix everything until evenly completely blended.  Allow the mixture to sit for approximately 30 minutes so the chocolate firms back up.  Store in an air tight container.

*I use Isopure’s Creamy Vanilla protein powder

**Make this by taking about 1 oz. of dehydrated strawberries and processing them in a food processor until they form a powder.

 

 

 

What flavor should I try next!?