A (R(o)tund) Recipe of the Spheres

Who likes turning on a hot oven during the hot summer? Nobody. Who likes dessert? Everybody. This makes my chefly on-the-fly flavor lead me to a treat to savor: no-bake cookies! (And who likes Facial Flex, which makes you look like a demented insect eating q-tips? Somebody. If you're that somebody, you can own the appalling instrument for $29.86 plus $3.97 S&H!)

And who can deny the succulence of spheres? Who can resist celestial beauties, sports equipment, marbles, or fruit? Nobody. As an added bonus, you can store your Oven-free Oat Spheres like Hugh Laurie would; he keeps his cake in the chiller (chiller may be my contribution to mockney. Stamford ridge may be the real brit fridge), and Stephen Fry explains Eskimo linguistic origins, which are ofttimes mere conjecture. These days, unlike during his days as Bertie Wooster, we can stalk Laurie when he frequents the Whole Paycheck parking lot. Much has changed since the early 90s. Much. (Mmmm . . . much munch munch munch. Need no-bake cookies!)

I was recently in Sandy Eggo (who knew other people think that is clever?), and though it was far from humid and hazy, I decided not using the oven would make my dessert divining a simple task of mere ingredient mixing. I could use up ingredients already on hand and enjoy the chilled bites of chocolatey goodness (also delicious when stored in the freezer). While cube-shaped ice cream was a weakness of mine as a small Julia, WHO can resist spheres? Not me.

Liberate yourself from the shackles of your oven, and join the revolutionary realm of the universally-beloved stove top with due expediency! But please, do be careful when seating your guests, particularly future in-laws (see minute 1:00, and even watch the whole Jeeves & Wooster episode on YouTube).

Oven-free Oat Spheres (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
This was made without a set recipe. My mom used to make a version of this with peanut butter, chocolate, and lots of added sugar during my childhood, so I've improvised a new combination that's delicious and healthier.

And a-one,

and a-two,

and an a-gave!

Ingredients:

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (I used TJ's disks to melt)

1 cup nut/seed butter (I used TJ's sunflower seed butter, which had salt. Peanut butter, cashew, or almond butter would also be great! If unsalted, I'd suggest adding 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt, if not more, to taste)

6-8 Tablespoons agave nectar (or honey)

2 Tablespoons apple sauce (or could use more applesauce and less agave)

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups uncooked oats (I used TJ's gluten-free oats. I've also made no-bakes with barley flakes. Cold cereals, like puffed millet, my favorite Envirokids Gorilla Munch ("cornmeal spheres"!!!), Cherrios, Rice Krispies, or Corn Flakes, can also work with the chocolate-butter binder instead of oats)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I enjoyed using the end of the bag with walnut powder to use up!)

several shakes of cinnamon (to dust the finished product)

Melt unsweetened chocolate on medium heat. As soon as it's beginning to liquify, stir the chocolate and remove from heat. Then stir in your seed/nut butter of choice, agave & applesauce. Hopefully your mixture is not very warm now. Stir in your oats, vanilla & walnuts. If your mixture is not hot now, it shouldn't melt your chocolate chips, so add those. If the mixture is hot for some reason, then wait a few minutes for the oats + chocolate batter to cool.

Let the sun shine in & not melt the chippies.

Next form the batter into balls by washed hands. Coat with some cinnamon (or a lot of cinnamon!) and let chill in the fridge (if you can wait for them to chill! They're also great frozen).

I hope your are chuffed to bits with these chocolaty bits!