When hot weather rolls around we like to make popsicles, lots and lots of them. They are the treat of choice after a romp in the sprinkler, while reading a book by the pool or just because it’s 120 degrees outside. The kids love to make their own variations, and my 8-year-old daughter, Aviva, has gained a following for her famous “Banana Pops.”
When we make our homemade treats, we use: Dixie cups, popsicle molds, ice trays and our favorite, a Zozu Quick Freeze Mold, for instant popsicles. You’ll also need popsicle sticks if you don’t use molds with plastic sticks. When you make your own popsicles, you’re in control of the ingredients, it’s cost effective and it’s good old-fashioned fun creating a multitude of innovative flavors. Think outside the box and freeze whole fruits and dip them in chocolate, or make creamy popsicles with Greek yogurt; better yet, be daring and make some veggie variations. These four incredible recipes will make your home the coolest spot in the neighborhood this summer!
Aviva’s Banana Pops
4 bananas
1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Mash bananas with a masher or your hands. Add almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract and continue to mix until blended. Add the fruit mixture to each mold, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top to allow for expansion. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert sticks and freeze another 4 to 6 hours until fully set.
Rainbow Popsicles
(Makes ten 3 oz. popsicles)
1 cup coconut water
2 tablespoons Sugar in the Raw Syrup
2 cups pomegranate juice
3 cups lemonade
1 cup orange juice
Food coloring (natural food coloring is available at some health food stores)
In a medium sauce pan, heat the coconut water and syrup over medium heat.
Bring to a slight boil, and stir until syrup has dissolved to create a simple syrup. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
Prepare and chill the liquid layers:
Red: Combine 1 cup pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons simple syrup and 2 drops red food coloring. Orange: Combine 1 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, and 1 drop red and 1 drop yellow food coloring. Yellow: Combine 1 cup lemonade, 2 tablespoons simple syrup and 1-2 drops yellow food coloring. Green: Combine 1 cup lemonade, 2 tablespoons simple syrup and 1-2 drops green food coloring. Blue: Combine 1 cup lemonade, 2 tablespoons simple syrup and 1-2 drops blue food coloring. Purple: Combine 1 cup pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, and 2 drops blue and 1 drop red food coloring. Pour the red layer into your Dixie cups (or mold) to about 1/4” thickness and freeze for 30 minutes. Add the orange layer and freeze for another 30 minutes. Place the sticks in the center (the two layers should hold them pretty well), pour in the yellow layer and freeze 30 minutes. Add the green, blue and purple layers in the same fashion. The purple will come very close to the top of the cup, so handle carefully. Allow the popsicles to freeze for at least 3 hours, though for optimal curing, let them freeze overnight.
To serve, simply make a small incision in the rim of the Dixie cup and tear the cup off. For a faster variation, use a Zozu Quick Pop Maker.
Avocado Paletas
(Makes 8 to 10 ice pops)
1 cup water
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 small ripe avocados
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
1⁄4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise. Remove the pit and scoop the flesh into a blender, along with the cooled syrup and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Add the lime juice and blend just until combined. If using conventional molds, divide the mixture among the molds, snap on the lid and freeze until solid, about 5 hours. If using Dixie cups or other molds, freeze until the pops start to set (11⁄2 to 2 hours), then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, 4 to 5 hours. If using an instant ice pop maker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If coating in chocolate: Chop chocolate well and place in a glass or metal bowl. Melt the chocolate and the coconut oil over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Remove popsicles from the freezer and immediately dip in the chocolate. Hold the popsicle for a minute or two until the chocolate hardens, then return to the freezer until ready to serve.
Watermelon Cucumber Popsicles
1 small watermelon cut in chunks
1 cup cucumbers peeled and diced small
1⁄4 cup Sugar in the Raw Syrup
1⁄2 cup water
Pinch of kosher salt
Combine the syrup, salt and water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and make sure the syrup has dissolved. Let the syrup cool completely. Transfer the syrup to a 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Puree the watermelon chunks in batches in a blender. Add 2 cups of puree (save any extra for another use) to the syrup. Distribute the diced cucumber among 10 1⁄3-cup molds. Add the fruit mixture to each mold, leaving about 1⁄4 inch at the top to allow for expansion. Stir gently with a popsicle stick to distribute the diced cucumber. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert sticks and freeze again until the pops are fully set, 4 to 6 hours more.
Coconut Water and Fruit Popsicles
(Makes six 3-ounce popsicles)
1 cup crushed fruit (any variety)
1 cup coconut water
Mix crushed fruit and coconut water together. Scoop into popsicle molds evenly distributing fruit. Add popsicle sticks and freeze until solid. The amount of time needed will be determined by your freezer and the size popsicle molds used. Popsicles set to freeze in the morning are usually solid in time for an afternoon treat.
Blackberry Jasmine Tea Popsicles
½ cup Sugar in the Raw Syrup
1/2 cup water
Pinch kosher salt
1 tablespoon loose black or jasmine tea leaves or tea bag
4 cups blackberries
1 cup orange or tangerine segments, cut free of their membranes and halved
Combine the sugar, salt and water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a slight boil and when syrup has fully dissolved, add the tea leaves. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 2 minutes. Cool syrup completely. Strain through a fine sieve into a 1-quart liquid measuring cup and discard the solids in the strainer.
Puree the blackberries in batches in a blender and strain the puree if you like it seedless. Add 2 cups of puree (save any extra for another use) to the syrup.
Distribute the orange or tangerine segments among 10 ⅓-cup pop molds. Add the fruit mixture to each mold, leaving about ¼ inch at the top to allow for expansion. Stir gently with a popsicle stick to distribute the orange or tangerine segments. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert sticks and freeze until the pops are fully set, 4 to 6 hours more.
To unmold, dip the mold in a deep pan of hot water until the pops pull out easily, 30 to 40 seconds, or let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Unmold and store the pops in individual re-sealable plastic bags; they are best eaten within three weeks.
Lucia Schnitzer and her husband, Ken, own Luci’s Healthy Marketplace in Phoenix. The local coffee shop and marketplace opened in 2009 in Lucia’s honor after her successful battle with breast cancer. She successfully manages her career, her growing family (four children), her personal well-being and the countless demands of the day.
