Popsicles HOW to MAKE

Popsicles are an incredibly versatile food, and very easy to make. Popsicles are timeless. We’re never too young or old for one. They bring out the childlike quality in all of us no matter what your age. They are basically a smoothie that you freeze into popsicle molds. They keep well and can be pulled out whenever you, or your kids, need a little snack. This makes them a great convenience in the summer months when schedules and meal plans often get pushed aside to accommodate more relaxed days. Homemade popsicles can be made with whatever you have in your fridge. Keep reading for several different ways you can make this wonderful food and enjoy a refreshing snack whenever you want.

FRUITY

POPSICLES

When making a fruity popsicle, you really have endless options. You can keep it simple with just a couple different fruits, or you can add an entire fruit salad to your blender and get a more complex flavor. Try 1 Banana with a cup of strawberries (frozen or fresh) and a half cup of orange juice. If you're up for it, add a handful of shredded carrots to the mix. If your blender needs some help mixing this up, add a little water (or juice or milk) until the ingredients are mixed well.

For a different approach, try a half cup each of pineapple, mango, strawberries, blueberries, and cherries, with a handful of spinach.

Sometimes a fruity popsicle is especially fun if it isn't completely smooth, but has small chunks of fruit inside. After you blend your popsicle ingredients, drop in a few strawberries or blueberries or chopped up bananas. This will give the popsicle an extra fun twist and make it visually more appealing. Remember that blending citrus with dark berries will likely give you dark purple popsicles. If you want to stick to a lighter colored popsicle, make sure your ingredients are mostly the same, yellow and orange colors. “ICE CREAM”

POPSICLES

For a more decadent popsicle, try two tablespoons of peanut butter (or your nut/seed butter of choice) with one banana, one tablespoon of cocoa powder, and one to two cups of almond milk (or other milk of your choice). To this popsicle, you may want to add honey or some soaked dates for an extra sweet option. This kind of popsicle lends itself well to chocolate or vanilla flavored protein powder.

Frozen bananas blended with a little milk yield a wonderfully creamy, ice-cream texture. This

type of popsicle can be tricky to get blended all together, so you may need a food processor. You can keep it bananaflavored, or stir in coconut shavings, or chopped strawberries, or drizzle a little honey through it.

ADD-INS

With any popsicle, as with any smoothie, you can always add greens or protein powder or chia seeds, hemp seeds, or flax meal. These ingredients will give your popsicles a nutritional boost and help you stay full longer. While fruit-only popsicles are delicious and healthy, they are mostly sugar, so depending on your dietary needs, you may need to add some other things.

For healthy fat and a natural thickening ingredient, add flax meal. It doesn't taste like much, and a little bit will go a long way. For a protein boost, find a protein powder you like. Make small batches first because some protein powder can significantly change the texture of a popsicle. Adding yogurt is another way to add protein (especially Greek yogurt), and this will also add gut-healthy probiotics to your popsicle. Yogurt can make a popsicle a little tart, so as with protein powder, try a small batch first.

Popsicles are such a wonderful way to stay healthy and full during summer months. Just blend up what sounds good to you, and likely it will yield a summer staple to your kitchen. Remember that vegetables like spinach and shredded carrots go well-hidden inside a popsicle, so they are always a great addition to your recipe.