Homemade Popsicle Round-up

It’s still summer and we still have some hot, sunny days left to enjoy refreshing homemade popsicles! It’s easy, healthy and affordable to make your own.  At our house we use reusable molds, I highly recommend getting some.  You can also use disposable cups and popsicle sticks or straws but be sure to add the sticks after about 45 minutes of freezing so they don’t tip to one side.  I have rounded up my five favorite recipes that my daughters and I created this summer.  So, if you make only one homemade popsicle this summer make one of these.  Your taste buds will thank you (your kiddos will too).

Mango Coconut Chia Pops 

 Ingredients:

1 RIPE Mango

1 tbsp Honey

1 tbsp Chia Seeds

3/4 cup Coconut Milk

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (optional)

Cut the mango, discarding the skin and the seed.  Puree the mango, honey, coconut milk and chia seeds in a blender or food processor until well combined.  Add a little more coconut milk to thin it out if needed.  Place about one teaspoon of shredded coconut into each popsicle mold, if desired.  Fill each mold, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top (your popsicles will expand a little during freezing).  Freeze for 4-6 hours before serving.  Enjoy!  You can easily omit the honey for kiddos under age one.

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Blueberry Blissicles 

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh Blueberries

1 tbsp Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

3/4 cup Vanilla Almond Milk

These “blissicles” really are bliss, the combination of chocolate and blueberry is so heavenly you may forget they are healthy.  Puree the blueberries, cocoa powder and milk together until purple and frothy.  Fill each mold, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top (your popsicles will expand a little during freezing).  Freeze for 4-6 hours before serving.  Enjoy!

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Mojito Pops

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Lime Juice

1 cup Coconut Water

1/4 cup pure Agave Nectar or Honey

1/4 cup spinach (raw or frozen)

2 tbsp Fresh Mint

The spinach in these popsicles adds some color and nutrition without overpowering the taste.  Puree the lime juice, coconut water, agave, spinach until well combined.  Add the mint and give it a few more pulses.  Fill each mold, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top (your popsicles will expand a little during freezing).  Freeze for 4-6 hours before serving.  Enjoy!  You can always make some “grown-up” only mojito popsicles by adding a splash of rum.

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Berry Beet & Creamsicles

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh Strawberries (hulled)

1/2 cup Beet Juice (or beet juice blend)

1/4 cup shredded, raw Beets

1/2 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt

These popsicles are amazing and my daughters can’t get enough.  I simply substitute with coconut milk yogurt when making them for myself.  Puree all the ingredients together, it may still be a little chunky, that’s okay.  Fill each mold 2/3 full.  Add yogurt a spoon at a time till the molds are mostly full, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top (your popsicles will expand a little during freezing).  Swirl each popsicle a few times.  I find a skewer works great for this but any thin utensil will do.  Freeze for 4-6 hours before serving.  Enjoy!  ps. You may want to avoid giving your kiddos this one while anyone in a 5 mile radius is wearing white.

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Banana Cream Pie Pops 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup crushed Graham Crackers

2 RIPE Bananas

1/2 cup Cashews (unsalted)

1/2 cup Almond Milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp turmeric

This popsicle actually tastes like banana cream pie.  Puree all the ingredients together except graham crackers until smooth and creamy.  Place about one tablespoon of crushed graham crackers into each popsicle mold.  Fill each mold, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top (your popsicles will expand a little during freezing).  Freeze for 4-6 hours before serving. Enjoy!

I would love to hear how these turn out for readers and their kiddos so please come back and post in the comments your results.  My girls love to help me in the kitchen and I find they are much more likely to try and love something if they helped prepare it.