When he was small, my youngest son had a habit of filling his pockets with treasures he encountered in his daily adventures. I didn't always understand the value he saw in his chosen objects -- really, how many rocks and sticks could one boy keep? In his eyes, though, each one was beautiful and important. Life is just like that on a larger scale, isn't it? We gather up the precious bits of our experiences and save them all to learn from and enjoy later. Perhaps you'll find a little something here that you'd like to keep in your own pockets. Thanks for visiting.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Cool treats for kids (and kids at heart)


With the long stretches of very hot days we've been having this season, popsicles have been a favourite snack among the younger set at our house. I'm not thrilled, though, about the high sugar levels and the artificial colours and flavours found in many commercially prepared varieties. As a result, the boys and I have been having fun making our own frozen treats this summer using a few molds, some fresh fruits and juices, and a little experimenting.

We started with this recipe from the good food book for families by Brenda Bradshaw and Cheryl Mutch, M.D., one of my current favourite resources for healthy, kid-friendly fare:

1 lb fresh or thawed frozen strawberries
3/4 cup orange juice
approximately 1 tsp liquid honey (optional)

Place strawberries in food processor, add orange juice, and puree until smooth.
Add just enough honey (if using) to sweeten the fruit.
Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.
Yield: 2 cups popsicle mix (approximately 12 popsicles)


Once we saw how easy and entertaining it was to make these popsicles (because really, what kid doesn't love watching berries go crazy in a blender?!), we started changing up the fruits and juices to make our own cool creations. Noah and Will's favourite mix so far has been blueberries with mango juice -- mmmm! With these real fruit popsicles on hand for snacks, the boys can always have a frosty treat on a hot afternoon, and I can be happy knowing they're enjoying something that's good for them too. Everybody wins!

2 comments:

  1. yeah lisa! love your pocketfuls! we too make our own popsicle treats....my kids favourite is orange juice and vanilla yogurt!

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  2. Yummy! Thanks for visiting, Stacey! :)

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