Photo courtesy of Anni Daulter

Popsicles were one of my favorite summer treats and I couldn’t wait to share them with my oldest when she was a baby.  It didn’t take long to realize that there wasn’t much at the store that fit my expectations, however.  Things I’d never considered while growing up were glaring at me from the ingredients list – artificial sweetners, coloring, flavors…okay, so if I was going to share my love of popsicles with this little girl, I was going to be making them myself!  Luckily this proved to be a fun and tasty adventure.

One improvement we made almost immediately that has been a huge improvement was with regard to the popsicle “sticks”.  Not wanting to generate trash with every serving, we wanted something reusable.  The sticks that came with our popsicle molds, however, were frustratingly short for my daughter.  She couldn’t get a good grip, and the pop was top heavy, causing her to hold the treat on both ends.  A few minutes of this and she was crying in frustration as her hands were freezing cold!  We made the switch to toddler spoons and never looked back.  These infant feeding spoons from Dandelion are a great length and perfect for little hands to hold, not to mention they are BPA, Phthalate and PVC free!

Dandelion Infant Feeding Spoons

Now – what to make?  The possibilities really are endless.  Ice Pop Joy by Anni Daulter is a comprehensive resource, providing inspiration and nutrition alongside stunning photography.  Ice Pop Joy features popsicles organized by main ingredients such as pure fruit, veggies, yogurt, tofu, herbal teas and even chocolate. 

Photo courtesy of Anni Daulter

After looking at the pictures, my four year old can’t wait to get into the kitchen and make some ice pops,  and I love any excuse to get her cooking and learning about different foods. She is already brainstorming her own unique creation, so we’ll soon be off to the farmers market to see what looks good!

Photo courtesy of Anni Daulter

Here are two of Anni’s “pop culture” recipes from the book:

*Popsicles for Breakfast*

3/4 cup almond butter
3 bananas
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/2 tablespoon wheat germ
1 cup plain yogurt

   1. Combine almond butter and bananas in blender and puree.
   2. Add walnuts, wheat germ, and yogurt, and blend well.
   3. Pour mixture into chosen pop molds and put sticks in place.
   4. Freeze pops until solid.

Makes 4 (5 oz.) pops

 
 
 
 

 

Photo courtesy of Anni Daulter

*Sour Girl*

 

juice of 3 Meyer lemons (1/2 to 3/4 cup juice)
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
2 cups purified water

   1. Put the lemon juice, lemon zest, agave nectar, and water into a
      blender and blend all ingredients together into a smooth texture.
   2. Pour mixture into chosen pop molds and put sticks in place.
   3. Freeze pops until solid.

Makes 8 (4-ounce) pops

*Pop Culture Shop Tip*

Meyer lemons are unique in that they are much sweeter than regular
lemons and they make amazing lemonade! They have a smoother skin on the
outside than other varieties of lemon. Ask your local grocer if they
carry them, and if they do not, check your farmers market!

Do you love popsicles?  What is your favorite flavor combination?

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