This was my first recipe not just for Veronika, but with Veronika! Yes, even a 16 month old can help in the kitchen, given a simple enough task. In this case, I involved her hands-on during several steps, including crushing graham crackers in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin, rolling sticky balls of dough, and more.

During steps that she couldn’t help with, I sat her in the high chair with a few ingredients to sample. She loved nibbling on graham crackers and putting raisins in and out of a snack-sized box!

For the actual recipe, you’ll need the following:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup vanilla-flavored vegan protein powder
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs

1. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, agave, protein powder, and raisins. Note: If you do eat dairy, you could make this recipe with dry milk powder; however, I like that using protein powder adds an extra nutrient boost to each serving!
2. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs until you have a workable “dough”; you may need to add a little more or a little less.
3. Roll the mixture into small balls. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Note: If you want to make “Mud Balls” instead of “Dirt Ball”, you can roll these in a little cocoa powder.