Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Recipes! Yummy Summer Popstickles

Summer is in full-swing here in God's Country. We love making freezer 'popstickles,' as Darling Son #2 likes to call them. I suppose I can call them 'popstickles' without violating 'popsicles' trademark. I'm sure Popsiclestm is actually trademarked... right? I mean really trademarked... not like I trademark things.

Anyway, I've tried many, many, many healthy popstickle recipes, but these two are our faves. I've adapted them from an old Clean Eating magazine issue. (And by 'adapted' I mean I made them with more fat and less sugar.) I'd tell you which issue, but I think I recycled it... so here it is from memory.

Cherry Cheescake Popstickles

1 1/2 cups frozen pitted cherries
4 oz. (half a brick) full-fat cream cheese, softened
splash or so of milk (sorry, I'm not really much of a measurer... which is why I'm a better cook than a baker... but basically you can play around with the milk to get a smooth, pourable, but not too runny consistency. I think I use 1/4 cup? Why couldn't I have said that in the first place? I don't know...)
1 tbsp. raw honey, warmed a little (Raw honey is fairly solid. You could use regular honey, too, but raw contains goodies.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract... or more... because it's yummy and smells good. Really, I *never* measure vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, simmer the cherries with a splash of water (here I go again with the splashes) for about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a pourable container.

Next blend the cooled cherries until reasonably smooth. Unless you have a Vitamix, which sadly, I do not, it will still have some chunks of cherries.

Pour about an inch or so of cherry puree into your popstickle molds. Then pour about an inch of the cream cheese mixture and alternate cherry and cream cheese until you reach the top of the mold. This part is a pain and results in some spillage, so be forewarned. Leave a little space for expansion, and insert the sticks.

Freeze until set, which in our freezer is at least 3 hours. I've learned this the hard way.


Next up! Lime Avocado Popstickles

1 lime, zested and juiced
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1 egg white (you could use the pasturized kind, but I usually can't be bothered and like to live dangerously)
A big scoop (maybe 1/4 c.?) plain yogurt, Greek or regular, whatever I have on hand
1 tbsp. raw honey
Almond milk as needed, because the mixture is usually very thick. So really just a... wait for it... splash! Too much and it's crystally.

Blend everything up in the blender. Pour or spoon into molds. *Make sure to tap the molds on the counter to settle the mixture. Otherwise, you'll have air pockets in your popstickles. Freeze until set.

The small people aren't as jazzed about this recipe as they are the cherry cheesecake ones, which means all the more for Mommy!

Lord, all the extraneous commentary... And now you know why I'm not a recipe developer, but I hope you enjoy them anyway!


4 comments:

  1. Deliciously healthy and fun to read the recipe of your popstickles. The boys' concentration shows total enjoyment. Lovely!

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    1. Thanks, Anon! I tried to get them to smile for the camera, but they were entirely too focused on the task at hand. :)

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  2. The cherry cheesecake ones sound good and like something my kids would like. I make cherry-yogurt popsicles using frozen cherries, yogurt, vanilla, a little sugar and a little milk or cream. They are especially nice when I use cream. I don't measure either and they are always good. If I could get my husband to stop buying popsicles, I'm sure my kids would appreciate them even more.

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    1. Oooh, I'll have to try that. It's nice to 'know' a fellow non-measurer. Measuring is so over-rated.

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