It’s an all too familiar sound: the obnoxious tinkling of the ice cream truck passing by the house or park at the most inopportune time. The treats from the truck range from sticky to sweet and you know they are loaded with tons of sugar. But it is tempting to go for a little cool sweetness – I mean, it is darn hot out there. So, how about having your own sweet treats – only this time they are conventional sugar-free! My favorite sweeteners are maple syrup, unpasteurized honey and coconut sugar.
We’re talking homemade popsicles, gelato and ice cream here. It is surprisingly easy and the flavor is remarkably similar (or superior, depending on who you ask). All you need is a blender, fruity ingredients, some BPA free popsicle molds and a freezer.
1. Greek Yogurt Strawberry Popsicles: 1 cup yogurt, ½ cup milk (cow or almond) 1 cup strawberries (3/4 cup for puree, plus1/4 cup minced), 1 tbsp maple syrup. Add all ingredients (except reserved strawberry bits) into blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to bowl, add bits, and then fill up 6 popsicle molds. Freeze overnight.
2. Mango Gelato: 2 cups frozen mango, juice of half a lime, 2 tbsp coconut cream (the solid part of the coconut milk in the can, when the can has not been shaken), 1 tbsp maple syrup. Puree everything in a blender, serve right away or transfer to container and leave in freezer.
3. Chocolate Chia Ice Cream: 1/2 cup soaked almonds, 2 tbsp of chia seeds soaked in 1/3 cup water, 50 grams of melted 99% chocolate, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbsp of honey. Add all the ingredients to the blender with an additional 3/4 cup of water, blend until uniformly smooth. Transfer to used ice cream tub and freeze for about 5 hours before serving (any longer will produce an unworkable product).
I’d love to hear about your favorite real food summertime treats… post them in the comments below.
Happy popsicle making,
Cheryl
