We’re finally experiencing a little break in the heat here in Nebraska – as in – it’s only in the upper 80’s instead of 101° with a heat index of 115°. I know many of you from the south are experiencing drought and intense heat that makes my 115° seem like winter.
Regardless of how it’s cooled off to “only the 80’s”, I still don’t like heating up the house to do much baking if I can help it. Here are a few yummy treats we’ve enjoyed this summer that don’t require the use of an oven:
Add to the list! What healthy, no-oven treats have you enjoyed this summer?!
Talia says
Watermelon slushies! Two cups frozen watermelon, a banana, some water and fresh mint or mint extract plus a little honey and a sprinkle of lemon or lime juice. Blend it up and it is so good
Meg says
A couple of oranges, some coconut milk and ice in the Blendtec! Frothy and sweet like an Orange Julius.
Christine says
This sounds YUMMY!! and refreshing!!!
Simone says
I have been making a lot of ‘frogs'(some people call them haystacks or macaroons)in this weather!
Melt one cup butter, add 2 cups sugar, one cup milk, 1/2 salt, 1 tsp vanilla, bring to boil for 2 minutes.
Add 4 cups oatmeal, 2 cups shredded coconut, and 3/4-1 cup cocoa. Drop by Tablespoon on waxed paper. Chill in freezer or fridge until stiff. Makes about 2 dozen or more
(original recipie had double the sugar, I find them sweet enough this way)
melanie says
Sounds like our “Raggedy Robins” ~ except they have peanut butter and no coconut. I’ll have to add some next time! : ) (as in, tonight??)
melanie says
Lots of green smoothies and salads instead of cooked veggies.
~ The smoothies should count as a ‘sweet’ when I add pear jelly and sweet bananas!
kelli says
Your yummy granola bars and lots and lots of smoothies! My 15 month old LOVES them! =)
carmen @ life blessons says
This summer I’ve been making regular pudding from scratch, which is delightful on a hot summer day! Here’s my recipe if you’re interested: http://lifeblessons.blogspot.com/2011/07/perfect-summer-treat-homemade-chocolate.html
It’s so easy and really delicious. Way better than the store-bought kind!
baking mama says
My family really enjoys homemade frozen bananas. I melt a package of choc. chips in double boiler (small pan inside another pan with water), and add a spoonful or two of peanut butter and a little coconut oil to the mixture, then whisk until smooth. Dip a half bananana in (much easier to handle a half at a time!), then place on parchment paper in freezer until frozen solid. After completely frozen, wrap each in plastic wrap and store in a ziploc bag. They keep a really long time in a deep freezer – not so long in the refrigerator freezer (hubby and I also like chopped nuts sprinkled over the chocolate, but the kids don’t).
Jill A. says
2-3 Peaches, 1 cup sweetner, 1/2 tsp vanilla & 4 cups ice. Blend together and enjoy peach sorbet. We’ve also substituted strawberries but found we don’t need as much sweetner. Pretty much any fruit could be substituted!!
Kathie says
My kids love what we call banana cream. I just slice and freeze bananas that are on-their-way to spoiling, then pull them out as needed and run them through the food processor until smooth. It has the consistency of ice cream, tastes like bananas, and only has one ingredient!
Susan F. says
We like one package of orange gelatin dissolved with the hot water as instructed. Add 1 cup of orange sherbet instead of cold water, blend well. Cool and spoon into dessert dishes. Top with mandarin orange slices. Refrigerate until set. Cool, creamy and delicious.
Lauren says
Bless you for thinking of those of us living in an oven right now! As I type, it’s 112 outside (no, that is not the heat index). And I’m drinking a chocolate banana smoothie. :-)
Danielle B says
Yumm! how do you make one of those Lauren?
Lauren says
One cup milk, one banana, one tablespoon brown sugar, and one tablespoon cocoa powder. Blend all that, then add 1 cup or more of ice and blend until smooth. I adapted this from the recipe for Mocha Smoothies in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. :-)
Lauren says
Oh, I forgot that I add just a little bit of vanilla, too.
Danielle B says
Thanks so much!! Sounds so good.
Danielle B says
I know what you mean Laura! It cooled off to 80 on Wednesday. It felt so cold! I thank God everyday we have central air. Not sure how yall do it!
Raynea says
Can I ask where you purchase your honey from?
Laura says
I buy it locally from a man who has several honey bee hives.
Raynea says
I passed a farm the other day that said they had honey. I am going to have to stop and check it out. Also, do you get your maple syrup locally? Thanks!
Laura says
No, I don’t know of any maple syrup in our area. However, there are some neat people from WI who come to our farmer’s market every year with their pure maple syrup. I buy a year’s supply from them!
KK @ Preppy Pink Crocodile says
Frozen berries! On a hot day, a dish full of frozen raspberries and blueberries (or cherries or grapes or …) is sooo refreshing. A little crunchy, a little tart, a little sweet and very cool. Mmmmm!
KK
Amie says
Homemade Larabars (just google them for a hundred recipes) and lots of trail mixes with dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. I love these for the beach, they keep little tummies full much longer and do not need refrigeration. Of course, lots of fruit and green salads from the garden too. Smoothies also top the list this time of year! I make mine with Amande yogurt and fruit my kiddos love it, and if I use frosen fruit and frozen yogurt cubes it is just like a dairy free shake,,,yummm!
Lisa M says
We have been doing a lot of the same here. We made a big batch of the Peanut Butter Honey Fudge. My boys had fun rolling them in balls and then in a mixture of chopped nuts and coconut. We divided them up and froze some.
We have been mixing frozen fruit with yogurt and coconut cream and eating it as a smoothie or freezing it for an ice cream like treat.
We also made fruit kabobs. They love to put what they want on a stick and then dip it in yogurt. They also love to use toothpick and put a piece on and dip it in chocolate then freeze (grapes, banana, strawberries,etc)