When he was small, my youngest son had a habit of filling his pockets with treasures he encountered in his daily adventures. I didn't always understand the value he saw in his chosen objects -- really, how many rocks and sticks could one boy keep? In his eyes, though, each one was beautiful and important. Life is just like that on a larger scale, isn't it? We gather up the precious bits of our experiences and save them all to learn from and enjoy later. Perhaps you'll find a little something here that you'd like to keep in your own pockets. Thanks for visiting.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Frosty fruit pops


The first long weekend of the summer season is just around the corner, and soon people all over our beautiful country will be decked out in red and white, happily celebrating our nation's birthday with playtime, parties, picnics, and... popsicles! These frosty treats are a perfect way to stay cool and hydrated during long summer days spent outdoors, and the homemade ones pictured here are made from real fruits and juices, without any added sugar or artificial flavours and colours. Now that's something to celebrate!

Last summer I posted a recipe for refreshing and delicious strawberry-orange popsicles, which you can find here. I've been having lots of fun experimenting with new flavours in my kitchen lately, and thought I would share my latest creations. These popsicles, just right for national holiday celebrations on both sides of the border, will also be my contribution to an Independence Day holiday recipe round-up hosted by Kelly over at The Spunky Coconut. Check out her site on July 1st for what is sure to be a delightful collection of summer food ideas (all gluten-free, too)!


Raspberry-Lemonade Popsicles

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen raspberries
1 cup lemonade (I use Kiju organic lemonade, which is a yummy combination of grape and lemon juices with no added sugar)

Blend raspberries and lemonade in a blender until smooth. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain mixture to remove all raspberry seeds. Pour strained mixture into popsicle molds, insert sticks, and freeze for several hours.


Mango-Coconut Creamsicles

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen mango, cut into cubes
1 cup coconut milk
the juice of one lime, freshly squeezed

Blend mango, coconut milk, and lime juice in a blender until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds, insert sticks, and freeze for several hours.


Blueberry-Mango Popsicles

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
1 cup mango juice

Blend blueberries and mango juice in a blender until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds, insert sticks, and freeze for several hours.


Delicious and healthy popsicles like these can be made from any combination of fruits and juices you enjoy -- your imagination is your only limit! If you come up with a great popsicle flavour of your own, please share it in the comments section below so we can all have a chance to enjoy it.

I have to take a minute here to rave about the new popsicle molds I purchased this summer.


They're made from durable stainless steel (so they won't leach any harmful chemicals into your cool creations), and each mold can be removed from the stand individually. This makes it easy to take popsicles out as you need them, then wash each mold and refill it as required so you can always have a ready supply of popsicles in the freezer. The molds I have are made by Onyx and can be purchased here.

Whether you'll be watching fireworks in red and white, or red, white, and blue this coming weekend, these colourful popsicles are sure to be a big hit with everyone. Happy Canada Day, and Happy Independence Day, to our North American friends!

3 comments:

  1. These look delicious! I am always looking for low sugar ways to cool off. I am tempted to get the molds even though they are pricy. Do you know of any stores that have them so I wouldn't have to pay the high shipping?

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  2. Hi Rachel. I haven't seen the popsicle molds anywhere other than online, but if I come across them, I'll let you know! I was lucky to be able to purchase mine for half the price using a groupon. Though these molds cost more than the plastic versions up front, you'll likely never have to replace them! Hope you enjoy your popsicles! :)

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  3. Tupperware used to sell the plastic popsicle molds, I have had them for years. Haven`t checked lately to see if they still sell them. Can check on line.

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