By Don Orwell

When summer days heat up, the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven to cook. It’s easy enough to whip up a salad, but, other than Jell-O and ice cream, what are your options for desserts that don’t require baking? Here are a couple of ideas from the Healthy Kids Cookbook by Don Orwell. For more of Orwell’s recipes, see superfoodstoday.com.

Raw Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups walnuts
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground vanilla bean
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• splash of water (optional)
• 1/3 cup almond butter

Instructions

1. Add walnuts and salt to a food processor or blender. Mix until finely ground.
2. Add the vanilla, dates, and cocoa powder to the blender. Mix well and, optionally, add a couple drops of water at a time to make the mixture stick together.
3. Transfer the mixture into a 9”x 13” pan and top with almond butter.

Raw Vegan Chocolate Walnut Truffles

Ingredients

• 1 cup ground walnuts
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• additional cinnamon for coating
• coconut flakes
• chopped almonds

Instructions

1. Mix first six ingredients and make 1-inch balls.
2. Coat with cinnamon, coconut flakes, or chopped almonds.  

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Don Orwell is the author of several books on superfoods.