“Summertime is always the best of what might be.”
― Charles Bowden
Ah summer! It is the time of year I try to make the most of everything because soon enough the cold wind will blow and the garden will disappear under a blanket of white…shivers…let’s not talk about that for now! Instead I want to have fun and especially this summer as it is the first summer I have not been working for almost 20 years.
So I racked my brain to figure out what I would like to do to have more fun, and as always for me it is about enjoying sweet treats in summer. And what sweet treat to choose…of course eating ice cream comes to mind and watermelon. I am growing watermelon but started it late so it will be late summer before I see any watermelon. And since I am working on healthy eating habits, it best to only eat ice cream occasionally. So what treat can I enjoy everyday?
You know what came to mind….popsicles! I remember my mom making our own popsicles with a simple mold using juice or her own less sugary Koolaid. So I immediately thought, ‘I can do that’. Make my own popsicles…absolutely. But how to make them tasty and healthy with no sugar. And the plethora of ideas streamed in as I wrote down all the healthy ingredients and combinations.
But first I needed the popsicle molds… so off to the internet for some research.
I found these great molds on Amazon. They had a nearly perfect rating, and were highly rated for filling, freezing and ease of release the most important thing….getting the popsicle out cleanly and easily. And they have a great handle with drip control…which I need. Plus they are BPA free.
So with the molds chosen, bought and delivered it was time to make some popsicles.
The hardest part is deciding what ingredients you want to use. Summer is fruit season so the choices are many. I use any and all organic fruit: raspberries, strawberries, blueberries mango, banana to name a few. This batch is a cup of mango and a cup of raspberries. I tend to use frozen fruit for the pops as I like to eat fresh fruit as a snack.
For liquid I use coconut water or POM brand pomegranate juice. I may also use green tea or coconut milk. Of course use whatever floats your boat. It depends on your favorite foods and any food restrictions. I am keeping it super healthy with no added sugar so no other juices as they are high in fructose. Coconut water has almost no taste and is a healthy alternative to sugary liquids, juices or plain water.
I use a ratio of 2 cups of liquid to 1 cup of fruit. Once you blend it, fill the molds quickly. We found we could fill them almost to the top without any problems.
You can also use a food processor or juicer if you don’t have a blender.
Snap on the tops and put them in the freezer for about 4 hours.
Here is the finished product ready to be removed from the mold. Run it under warm water, twist, pull a little and voilà….
Doesn’t that look yummy. They are so refreshing too. And you can be as creative as you want. I have made raspberry/banana, blueberry/pomegranate, and mango/raspberry so far.
One note: You can see that the popsicle separated and the top is mostly liquid with the blended fruit at the bottom. That is because I delayed getting the molds into the freezer right away as I was taking pictures. Normally they stay blended as they freeze.
I really do enjoy these and they are super sweet just from using fruit. I can’t believe these tasty treats are also healthy for me. I included my recipe below which will fill a six mold set.
[yumprint-recipe id=’2′]
And now for something completely different:
As many of you know, I have been blogging once a month at Vision and Verb. The blog will be closing at the end of the month, and while I am sad, I am grateful for the opportunity to have found my voice again. I have contemplated 
starting a second blog, and now that I have the time, I have gone ahead and done it (with the help of my friend Steven).
I will begin posting next Thursday. While there is not much there yet, you can sign up for a subscription by WordPress, email, Bloglovin or Feedly. I do hope you will join me there too. I do understand that this type of personal blog about life may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are so inclined I would be happy to see you there.
The name of the blog is Living From Happiness. I also hope to have a Facebook page to go along with the blog soon. So much to do, but I am so excited to continue writing working toward my end goal of writing books.
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Next up on the blog: Monday brings another Native Plant profile with Simply The Best Natives.
I am linking in with Michelle@Rambling Woods for her Nature Notes meme. It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Tuesday.
I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden.
As always, I’ll be joining Tootsie Time’s Fertilizer Friday.
I am also joining in I Heart Macro with Laura@Shine The Divine that happens every Saturday.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2014. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.