Catherine McCord, founder of family food site Weelicious.com, offers four recipes for homemade ice pops–a delicious and nutritious way to keep kids cool as the temperatures continue to climb. McCord’s recipes have less sugar than their store-bought counterparts and are made with real fruits and veggies. Plus, these recipes are simple enough that kids can lend a helping hand.
‘Pea Wee’ Kiwi Popsicles
Ingredients 4 kiwis, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup orange, apple, or pineapple juice 3/4 cup frozen peas 6 dixie cups* Directions 1. Place the kiwis and juice in a food processor and puree until smooth. 2. Place 2 tablespoons of peas in each Dixie cup. 3. Cover peas with kiwi puree and stir to evenly distribute peas. 4.Freeze pops for 4-6 hours or until frozen through. * These can also be made in popsicle molds
Watermelon Cinnamon Granita
Ingredients 5 cups watermelon chunks 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup sugar Directions 1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and puree. 2. Place the puree in an 8×8 inch Pyrex dish and put in the freezer for 1 hour. 3. Remove from the freezer and scrape with a fork to break up pieces. 4. Place back into freezer for 1 hour. 5. Remove from the freezer and scrape with a fork to break up pieces. 6. Repeat this process one or two more times over several hours until the granita is similar in consistency to shaved ice. 7.Serve (cover the dish with tin foil to keep the rest in the freezer).
PB&J Pops
Ingredients 1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup milk, divided (any type of milk will work) 1/2 cup your favorite fruit preserves (I used raspberry) Directions 1. Combine the peanut butter, honey, and 1/2 cup of milk in a bowl and whisk until smooth. 2. Whisk the preserves and the remaining milk in a separate bowl to combine. 3. Pour both mixtures into 2 separate liquid measuring cups for easy pouring. 4. Pour 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter mixture into each Dixie cup, followed by 3 tablespoons of the fruit preserves mixture. 5. Freeze for 30 minutes. 6. Pour the remaining peanut butter mixture on top. Poke a popsicle stick in the middle of the cups. 7.Freeze for at least 6 hours or more before serving.
Fruity Lemonade Ice Pops
Ingredients 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup agave or honey 8 kiwi slices 16 blueberries Directions 1. In a bowl, mix together the water, lemon juice and agave. 2. Place 3-5 blueberries and 1 or 2 kiwi slices in each ice pop mold. 3. Gently pour the liquid mixture into each mold. You can reposition the fruit after you’ve poured in the liquid. 4.Freeze 6 hours or until frozen through.
Catherine McCord, mom to two young children, posts her own quick, nutritious recipes daily at her acclaimed blog, Weelicious.com. The ease of her recipes, which rely on fresh but minimal ingredients, make her blog a go-to destination for busy parents who want to make the most of their time and still feed their families well.
