Coconut Milk Ice Pops

Vanilla Rocket Pop

Chocolate Star Pop

Clearly I am obsessed with ice pops. I love them. What I love most about them is making ones that are super tasty and good for you, too.
This recipe came from a dinner we had with friends. My friend, Michelle, came over with coconut based ice cream that she'd made in her ice cream maker. I swear, it was the best ice cream I have ever had in my life. We were all licking our bowls. All I could think of was how to translate that into an ice pop.
That is how these coconut ice pops were born. They can be vanilla, chocolate, blueberry, strawberry, cantaloupe or any other flavor that strikes your fancy.

You will need:
1 can of coconut milk
3 tablespoons of REAL maple syrup. Not the fake stuff that is just rice syrup with maple flavoring
a dash of salt -Pink Himalaya Salt is preferred but Sea Salt is fine.
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

This is your base.

To make the chocolate version, add 1 teaspoon of raw cacoa powder.
For any of the fruits, add about a 1/2 cup and blend together in a blender.
Pour into your ice pop molds and pop them in the freezer. It takes about 6 hours.

Blueberry Bug Pop                                               Strawberry Rocket Pop

We have rocket pop, star and bug pop molds. I have seen robots, sailboats, and jewels. Basically if you give a child a slightly sweet frozen treat shaped like something cool they will love it. I have seen the molds on Amazon, at Target, and TJ Maxx. They are usually under $10 for a set.

Coconut milk is super nutritious. It helps to maintain blood sugar levels, gives a healthy boost to the immune system, helps build strong bones with a good dose of Phosphorous, reduces inflammation in the joints and is a good source of iron.

I would much rather give my child this than the sugar laden ice pops you find in the supermarket. Also, many of the ice pops you find in the market use synthetic dyes to achieve their fun colors. Blue tongue anyone? Synthetic dyes, especially when combined with refined sugars, have been found to have dramatic effects on children's behaviour and health. They have been linked to ADD, ADHD,  and certain cancers. Whatever ice pop you choose to serve your children, please take care to avoid these dyes. Look for brands that use more natural dyes like Tumeric and Paprika.

Have a delicious, happy, healthy summer.

Berry and Kale Smoothie

Kale? Seriously? Ewwwwww......

It's actually amazing. You can't taste the kale in the smoothie at all. I start by putting frozen organic fruit in the blender. Bananas, strawberries and blueberries or blackberries. You need a dark fruit in there unless you want to produce a green smoothie which I fear most kids would reject on color alone.

You will need:
4 strawberries
1/2 cup of blueberries and/or blackberries
1/2 banana
1 cup of chopped kale
1/2 cup of apple juice
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon full of calcium powder (optional)

Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

The leftover fruit I use is perfectly good but not very pretty. If your kids are anything like mine then one tiny little brown spot will kill the whole piece for them. Squishy blueberries and 1/2 eaten bananas that would otherwise go to waste go into the fruit bag I keep in the freezer. Fruit, especially organic fruit, is very expensive. You don't want to waste a single bite.
To supplement the fruit bag I use Cascadian farm organic frozen berries. Frozen organic fruits and vegetables are a very good choice. They are picked at their prime and frozen so they retain most of their nutrients. They are more widely available than fresh organic fruit and are less expensive.

I freeze the kale in large bunches. What I do is buy organic, curly kale in the summer and fall from a local organic farm so it will be top quality and fresh. Usually 10 1 gallon freezer bags will get us through the winter. Cut out the middle ribbing. Wash and chop the remaining green leaves. I grab a handful for each smoothie. 

I add a spoonful of calcium to my kid's smoothies. This addition is up for debate. My kids eat very few dairy products. They get most of their calcium from greens. It never seems like enough for growing bones. Calcium also supports muscle contraction and nerve conduction as well as providing additional immune support. As important as I feel calcium is, giving any child a supplement has to be a choice that a parent must make for themselves. Consult your pediatrician and consider the rest of your child's diet before adding any supplements. All of that being said the calcium supplement I use is from Standard Process. It is an excellent company and makes a pure product. 

For a liquid I use a fresh pressed organic apple juice and water. The liquid should come up to about 3/4 of the bulk of the fruit and kale in the smoothie. If you use too much liquid the smoothie gets diluted. Too little and and it's too thick. I err on the side of too little as you can always add a little more liquid as you are blending.

When the smoothie is done it should be a consistent texture and free of any chunks.

Pour it into your kid's favorite cups and you can give them a tasty breakfast or snack.

Seriously, any time your kids eat kale or anything close to that nutritious, you should do a victory dance. 

I know a recipe is a winner when Swiper the Fox (aka Sam, my youngest)) comes and steals it during the shoot. I had just set up my first shot when this happened...

Literally, stolen right out from underneath me.

Keep food fun

One of the keys to kids eating well is to keep it fun. You don't need to be an artist to make a simple face. Avocado eyebrows and hair. Organic strawberry eyes. A cornichon for a nose and an Applegate roasted turkey breast mouth.
I love the Applegate Organics lunch meats. If your kids are meat eaters it is a wonderful lunch choice. Their products have no added nitrates and are organic so they are good quality meat.

Dessert is a Vita Coco rocket shaped ice pop. It's just straight coconut water in a rocket shaped ice pop mold. He thinks he is getting a big treat. Meanwhile he is eating something that is actually good for him.