Summer has officially arrived… and who doesn’t like a cold popsicle on a hot sunny day? Break away from store bought popsicles and treat yourself to some handmade frozen pops made with love. The Carrot Top, the juice bar attached to the Lund’s booth, sells awesome popsicles for just $2 each. They contain all natural ingredients: no dyes, flavours or artificial sweeteners, unlike commercial brands.
If you’re feeling adventurous, pick up some popsicle moulds from any home store and create your own custom ice pops at home. If you can’t find the moulds, you could use an ice cube tray or cleaned out individual yogurt containers with wooden sticks or toothpicks.
Kids and adults alike can enjoy these goodies using my basic guideline recipe for homemade popsicles (based on a recipe from Vegetarian Times). The frozen fruit and add-ins provide the flavour, the banana adds creaminess and the coconut milk adds richness to the pops. Just sweeten to your own taste and that’s all you have to do!
- 2 cups frozen fruit (see ideas below)
- 1 large banana, frozen
- ¾ cup coconut milk (or substitute milk, cream or yogurt)
- ¼ – ½ cup agave nectar or honey
Optional add-ins: 1 tbsp cocoa powder, chopped fresh herbs (~ 1 tbsp), nut butter, citrus zest,
vanilla extra, whole fruit pieces (cut small), cocoa nibs, cinnamon or other spices. For the adults,
try adding a bit of tequila, prosecco or rum for a twist on a frozen cocktail.
Place all ingredients into a blender and mix until very smooth. Pour into molds and freeze for at least 8 hours.
This recipe makes about 4 popsicles, depending on size of your mould. When you’re ready to eat, place the mould until warm water for about 30 seconds, until the pop loosens and can slide out easily.
It’s a lot of fun to play around with different combinations. Here are some ideas:
- Banana, cocoa powder (+ peanut butter!)
- Strawberry & banana
- Peaches, yogurt and a splash of orange juice
- Cantaloupe and mint
- Watermelon and basil
- Lemon juice, zest and thyme
- Mango and lime
- Mango, cilantro and a pinch of red pepper flakes
- Pineapple and mint
- Blueberry and basil
- Coconut, lime and pineapple
- Apple and rosemary (using a combination of apple sauce and plain yogurt)
- Avocado and lime
- Cherries, cream cheese and vanilla extract
Give it a try at home! It’s a great way to use all the beautiful summer produce that will be showing up at Kingsland in the coming weeks.
Enjoy the sun!
Photo by ilovememphis. Licensing agreement: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/
My name is Heather Johansen. I used to be a lazy, overweight, TV-dinner-eater with no idea how to prepare healthy, great tasting foods. Tired of the microwave monotony, I took a cooking class and started to experiment in the kitchen (and exercising!). By learning how to cook for myself, I lost weight and kept it off but have also discovered a passion for turning ordinary ingredients into healthy & delicious fare.
I love finding new-to-me ingredients and experiencing their exciting flavours. Kingsland Farmer’s Market is an awesome place to seek out interesting food finds. Not only do they carry a vast amount of uncommon foods but so many of them are locally grown or produced. The options are endless and change with the seasons. Once you think beyond the usual farmer’s market finds, you’d be surprised how creative you can be!
My blog posts will focus on take an unfamiliar ingredient – a “Hidden Gem” found at Kingsland Market – and I’ll show you how to prepare it! Cooking can sometimes be intimidating, especially when you don’t know how to approach a food. I want you to embrace the challenge of creating a delicious, nourishing meal or snack from any ingredient. Join me in the excitement of trying something new!
