When the summer heat peaks, the last thing you want to do is have the oven running. It residually heats your home, makes your air conditioning work harder (read about cutting summertime costs) and you deserve a break from the outside heat.
Ditch the oven and opt for some no-bake recipes instead.
Dirt Cake is a popular no-bake recipe, especially with kids. A pudding base and crushed cookie topping gives this “cake” its muddy appearance. Put the cake together in a beach bucket, top with gummy worms, and serve with a small beach shovel for an added effect.
As long as no one has any peanut allergies, peanut butter pie can be a delicious dessert that’s sure to give you a chill on even the hottest days. Check out One Ordinary Day for a quick easy recipe that you can enjoy after freezing for just 4 hours. Favorite moments in our house include topping with bite-sized chocolate shavings and candies…mmm!
No-bake peanut butter pie.
Introducing your kids to cooking with some of these easier recipes can be a great tactile experience. Where baking requires exact measuring to ensure everything cooks properly, no-bake recipes are usually more lenient, allowing your kids to be more involved. So even if one of your kids “accidently” adds a bit more chocolate sauce than the recipe calls for, it will still be delicious!
Cooking also provides a fun way to teach kids basic math and science principles. Measuring is a great way to teach fractions, and mixing ingredients like vinegar and baking soda is perfect for lessons on chemical reactions.
Another way to entice the whole family to get involved (maybe even dad) is by making homemade ice cream. A hand crank machine can be difficult for kids to turn, but an ice cream maker ball can create your favorite frosty treat by simply throwing it around or rolling it. The YayLabs ball can make up to a quart of ice cream, and it’s sturdy enough to handle even the roughest play from your toddlers. (Try adding some Greek yogurt and some fresh fruit to make the dessert a little more nutritious.)
Summertime homemade ice cream.
Feel like you may have overindulged? Try our Shorter Workout for a quick, 25-minute calorie burn. After all, there are only a few weeks left of prime bikini season!
Her Heel Flops 