Firecracker Cookie Dough Pops

First, a photo that explains the title of today's post.

Would you believe me if I said it was healthy? Well, it's not a slice of watermelon or a fresh crisp apple, but considering what it is, it could be much worse for you. All most of the ingredients are whole and natural. We will get back to that in a minute.

Here are some photos from my walk today. This was the first picture I snapped.

Pink and green.

Pink and green reflection.

Crazy hot sun... can you see the plane?

This tree was COVERED in bees!

I'm not sure what these are, they were growing in clumps on a tree.

Can you tell it was hot?

We went back to the car and had lots of water! And took one last picture of this cute little guy.

Then we came home and made these!

I have at least 6 recipes for raw cookie dough balls. I couldn't decide which one to make, so I read the recipes, got the general idea, and came up with my own concoction. Then I dipped them in chocolate and sprinkled red, white and blue nonpareils on them. Then froze them, and drooled as I took these pictures.

I started out by dipping the entire cookie dough ball in chocolate but then decided I liked the idea of only dipping half of it. When you make these choose whichever way suits your taste!

Firecracker Cookie Dough Pops

(Print Recipe)

Ingredients:
2/3 cup cashews
1/2 cup oats
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 pitted medjool dates, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 tbsp dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup dark chocolate, melted, for dipping
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, process the cashews and oats until a fine crumble. Then add the coconut, salt, and roughly chopped pitted medjool dates. Process until fine.

Add in the vanilla and maple syrup and process until the mixture comes together in a ball.

Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the 2 tablespoons of chopped dark chocolate. Roll into balls and stick with toothpicks.

In a double boiler or in the microwave, melt 1/2 cup of dark chocolate with the coconut oil in a small bowl. Be careful not to burn. Then roll each ball into the chocolate and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with nonpareils. Replace toothpicks with lollypop sticks, if desired. Freeze until chocolate has set, then transfer to refrigerator until ready to serve.

They are delicious without dipping them in chocolate too!

But this gives them an extra POP for the fourth of July!

Happy Fourth!!

A walk in the park

We have had such perfect weather lately and have enjoyed spending time outside. I recently took these pictures at the park.

It was the perfect time of day, with the sun just beginning to set.

I loved how this little tree was growing right next to a huge stump.

Look how pretty the sun is shining through the tree branches!

Lilly had a great time running around and sniffing everything. Then, she decided she had had enough and plopped down in the grass.

These ducks look like they are swimming in green water, but it was from the reflection of a huge green tree.

Here are some reflection pictures I took.

And I found an empty nest!

This time of day always flies by... soon the sun had set.

We took our tired but happy puppy home. I love photo shoot walks!