What happened to Spring? The humid days of Summer seem to be creeping into May. As the school year reaches its end, entertaining children and keeping them healthy and safe go hand in hand. Eating healthy is much easier said than done, especially now that Summer break is quickly approaching. We had our Gourmet diva dive into the uncharted waters to find quick, delicious and healthy Summer treats guaranteed to cool down adults, the kids and even the family pet!
Fruit Freezey’s
For traditional Ice Pop mold, pour thinly sliced fresh fruit up to halfway per Popsicle mold and top with coconut water or lemonade. Add the sticks and place in freezer until popsicles are frozen. Serve on a hot summer day. Your kids won’t know how healthy this delicious treat really is.
Fast Fruity Fro-Yo
Add 4 cups of your favorite fresh fruit, frozen solid, 3 Tablespoons of agave nectar(or honey), 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and one tablespoon of lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until creamy, about 5 minutes. Pour Mixture into Popsicle molds or paper cups. If using paper cups, place tinfoil over the top of the cups and stick a Popsicle stick through the middle. Tip: Add a few slices of fresh fruit to the mixture for extra color and a burst of sweetness.
Frozen Choco-Nanas
Peel 5 or 6 bananas and cut the end off of one side only. (note: cut larger bananas in half for easy maneuvering. Push a wooden lollipop or popsicle stick into the cut end of the banana placing them on a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Freeze for about one hour or until solid firm. Arrange toppings for the bananas like sprinkles, coconut, nuts etc in small bowls and keep close by the chocolate station. Coarsely chop 24 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and place in a glass microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has fully melted and smooth. Remove Bananas from the freezer during this process.
Holding the banana over the bowl, spoon generous amounts of chocolate over the banana, with a ladle. Rotate the banana to cover with chocolate and to allow excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Quickly sprinkle the topping choice of over the banana. Place the finished treat back on the baking tray, and repeat process until all of the bananas are coated. Serve immediately or freeze in an airtight container and save for a hot and humid day.
Watermelon Pizza Pie
This one is easy, clever and tastes amazing for kids and adults alike. Simply cut a 2 inch thick round slice of a large watermelon. Slice into pizza style triangles. Top with slices of banana, strawberry, kiwi, pineapple and sprinkle shredded coconut on top to mimic pizza cheese. Serve chilled by itself or with a dollop of frozen yogurt.
“Pup”sicles for Fido:
Warm weather can be dangerous for your four-legged babysitter outside. Treat your pup to a refreshing ice cream pop and keep him safe from dangerous heat and dehydration. Freeze a banana until solid. Cut the frozen banana into pieces and place in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of honey. Blend at high speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Add a 17.6 or 18 ounce container of plain Greek nonfat yogurt and blend for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is thick and smooth like a milkshake. Place mixture into popsicle mold and use plastic dog bones or sturdy edible dog chews like rawhide as the popsicle stick. Freeze for 6 hours or until completely frozen. Serve as a daily treat to keep your dog cool inside and out. Tip: dip the bottoms of the popsicle molds in a bowl of warm water for a few seconds to free the pupsicle without fail.