Childhood Revisited

Perhaps it’s that I work outside every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It has been a hot and humid summer in Texas, and all across the country, for that matter. Or perhaps it has absolutely nothing to do with the heat, but, lately, I’ve been craving Popsicles.

You may recall I have an enormous sweet tooth. And you also probably know by now I try to buy and little, if any, processed or prepared foods. Fortunately, we’ve been quite lucky to have found healthy alternatives to the “bad foods” we love such as ice cream, ice cream sandwiches and other frozen treats.

Our new favorite store-bought ice creams aren’t even made with milk and are dairy-free, if you can believe that. Tempt and Purely Decadent frozen desserts are absolutely divine, as well as pricey, but worth every penny.

As a self-described ice cream-aholic, I have also made plenty of homemade ice cream, sorbets and frozen yogurt this year. Several people have told me they were so inspired by these recipes, they even purchased an ice cream maker and that makes me very happy.

But finding a replacement for a healthy Popsicle has not been as easy, so I figured I better start making them as home. A few weeks ago, I went on ebay and bought Popsicle molds which arrived last week.Despite being a IKEA Product, they aren’t the best quality Popsicle molds, but they are fine to commence this new endeavor of mine. Once I become a pro Popsicle maker, then I will get some better molds, but until then, these will have to suffice.

I did a little research on homemade Popsicles and, honestly, I figured they were easy to make, but I had not idea it was this easy.

In fact, there was enough fresh fruit in the fridge to whip up these tropical fruit Popsicles as a test. I cut up some peaches, a glorious mango and some organic Texas-grown blueberries and a few raspberries left from my birthday cake last week. Threw it all in the blender with a little plain yogurt and done.

Whether you are a kid, have a few or just act like one, a homemade Popsicle is a fabulous treat.

Speaking of kids, I know kids of all ages will have a blast coming up with new popsicle flavor combinations. Here are some of my ideas:

• chocolate
• watermelon
• honeydew and mint
• peaches and cream
• limeade or lemonade
• cafe au lait

You can also add-in some yogurt, milk, cream, soy or almond milk or any fruit juice would work as well. Or kick it up a bit and make your own simple syrup by cooking equal parts sugar and water and then add the fruit puree. For adults-only popsicles, stir in a splash of tequila, rum or vodka for extra fun.

To get you in the Popsicle-making mood, I found a blog that lists 50 amazing homemade popsicle ideas. And if you come up with your own delicious creation, please post a comment so we can try it, too.

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Homemade Popsicles

The trick to homemade Popsicles is to determine the amount each Popsicle mold holds and then figure out how much liquid you're going to need to fill all your molds. For example, each of my Popsicle molds hold 1/3 cup so I need 2 cups to fill my six molds. With this, you can then begin to think creatively about what kind of Popsicles you are going to make. Be sure and also make room in your freezer for the molds.

Servings 6 popsicles

Author The Cowgirl Gourmet

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peaches and their juice cut up
• 1/2 cup berries
• 1/2 mango diced
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup plain organic yogurt
• 1-2  Tablespoons honey or sugar or more to taste

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in the blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit, taste the puree to see if it needs a little honey or sugar. If it needs it, add 1 Tablespoon honey or sugar and taste again. Add another Tablespoon if desired. Puree the mixture for another 30 seconds to ensure everything is combined.
   
2. Carefully pour the liquid in each popsicle mold until it's about 3/4 full, set the sticks in place and put the molds in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until firmly set.
   
3. To remove pops, squeeze the sides of the mold, twisting them slightly, to dislodge popsicle. If necessary, rinse the outside of the mold with hot water.