People, it is warm here in sunny AZ. I always thought that since I grew up here, I could tolerate the heat so much better than your average non – native. But throw in a couple years past my 30th birthday (I’m not saying how many) and oh yeah a pregnancy, and I am soooooooo not looking forward to 110 plus weather.
One way we natives have learned how to cope with the nastiness that is the AZ summer is to NOT turn on our ovens as much as possible. We grill, we eat salads, whatever we can do to add another degree to the temp in our houses. Cheapskates like me also know that this helps keep the energy bill at minimum, too. But I do love being able to pull out a healthy homemade snack when the little hooligans become ravenous and want something more that a piece of fruit. All three of theses treats have a good dose of protein too, and are pretty quick to make. Just throw the ingredients together, blend or mix, and you’re good to go. So her they are, my three favorite no bake threats for when you feel like you might die if you have to turn on the oven.
Mix and Match Date Bars / Balls
1 1/2 cups pitted dates (I use deglet dates and get them at Sprouts. This is a little more than half a package)
1 cup dried fruit such as raisins, cherries or prunes
3/4 cup nuts I’ve used cashews and almonds
other optional add ins – raw cacao nibs, good quality chocolate chips, flax seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes
combine all ingredients in your food processor and pulse until you have a sticky mess. Sometimes my food processor gets a little hung up, so check to see if the blade is stuck on a pit. Dump out onto parchment paper or a silicone mat and either use your rolling pin to flatten and cut into bars or roll into balls. I’ve done both, but end up doing the balls more often because the little people can help.
No Bake Peanut Butter Energy Bites
I got this recipe from Smashed Peas and Carrots a couple of years ago and they’ve definitely become a favorite in our house. I’ll sometimes throw the ingredients together during breakfast, chill and then roll ’em up for snack a couple hours later.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
I never would have come up with this combination myself, but I love how the sweet and salty come together! And I found this on a very healthy friend’s Pinterest board so i can tell myself that they are definitely healthy. The original recipe is here at Bakerlady. They’re pretty rich, so just a small one will do for sure. I keep these in the freezer because they can get a little soft. The girls have a great time smashing up the pretzels too!
So there they are, my three favorite quick and easy no bake treats. Hope they make your summer just a little bit cooler!