Frozen Treats
Let's be honest, there are few things better than enjoying a frozen treat on a hot summer day! Though popsicles are often touted as a 'healthy' treat since they are low in calories, they aren't exactly the ideal treat they are made out to be. Commercially made popsicles have many less than desirable ingredients such as:
- High Fructose Corn Syrup/Corn Syrup: Often the main ingredient, talk about HFCS has been everywhere in recent years. Corn syrup provides absolutely not nutritional value, it is just sugar. In addition, fructose is metabolized in the body differently than glucose. Fructose is metabolized by the liver so often won't raise blood sugar levels as much as glucose but can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels and deposit as fat. Corn byproducts such as syrup are often sourced from GMO crops and corn is a major allergen.
- Artificial Colours: Read food dyes. These are found in many, if not almost all, processed foods, but did you know they are usually derived from petroleum by-products or coal tar? Sound appetizing? They have also been linked to behaviour issues in children. You can read a bit more about food colouring here.
- Natural and Artificial Flavours: "Flavours are complex mixtures that sometimes comprise more than 100 chemicals. In addition to flavours themselves, these mixtures contain chemicals that have other functions. Solvents, emulsifiers, flavour modifiers and preservatives often make up 80-90% of the mixture. The main difference between a natural and artificial flavour is the origin of the flavour chemicals. Natural flavours must be derived from plant or animal material. Artificial flavours are synthesized in the lab. The actual chemicals in theses two kinds of flavours may be exactly the same: the chemical structures of the individual molecules may be indistinguishable.- EWG.org " Yum??
- Sugar, Sugar: Popsicles provide little more than sugar. Sure, some have added Vitamin C supplemented in, but aside from that they provide zero protein, zero fat and zero nutrition.
That doesn't mean you have to miss out on the frozen treat fun. There are many super easy ways to make your own. Not only do you get to control what goes into them, you also get to control what doesn't. Check out some quick and easy homemade 'popsicle' ideas below. Summer might be winding down, but the weather is still on our side! Make the most of the final weekends with homemade frozen treats.
Banana Dipped Popsicle
Simply cut a banana in half, insert skewer or popsicle stick. Dip in melt dark chocolate, sprinkle with your choice of toppings and freeze flat on parchment paper!
(Left to Right - Orange Lime shavings, Raspberry Coconut, Dried Pineapple, Orange Cashew and Raspberry Lime)
Beautiful Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit can be found in your super market's exotic section and worth a try. It is refreshing and delicious. Pick up a dragon fruit, cut it in half, cover and freeze. Once it is semi frozen you can take it out and use an ice cream scoop to dig out some of the fruit. Top with some fresh berries and orange zest and you have a 'wow' dessert.
Watermelon Strawberry Lime Slushi
Toss 4 cups of chopped watermelon, 2 cups of frozen strawberries, 1 lime juiced and a handful of mint in to a blender. Blend until smooth, pour into a container and freeze until desired slushi consistency is reached. You can also pre freeze the fruit to skip the after freezing step.
Cheers!
Super Simple Popsicles
Blend any fruit you like and freeze in popsicle moulds to make a quick, easy and basic popsicle.
Some variations could include: Mixed berries; Strawberries and Kiwi; Watermelon and berries (as shown above); Coconut milk and Pineapple (Pina Colada); etc.
Add in some banana or avocado to make it extra creamy and more 'creamsicle-like'.
Like it more like a standard popsicle? Add some extra liquid like water or unsweetened coconut or almond milk.
The possibilities are endless!
And don't forget, Enjoy!
~The Coach House Team~
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