How to Turn Green Juices And Smoothies Into Healthy Popsicles
Homemade popsicles: Easy, healthy, and delicious. (Photo: Emily Sundberg)
Maybe you’ve tried whipping up banana “nice” cream or regularly slurp a smoothie for breakfast (or lunch or dinner). But have you ever thought to turn those creamy concoctions into a superfood popsicle?
When you think of popsicles from your childhood days, ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup and Red Dye 40 likely come to mind. But when made right, the treats can actually be healthy. Plus, they’re easy to freeze in large batches — making these frosty treats ultra-convenient when you’re pressed for time.
Sophie Milrom, founder of healthy popsicle company EatPops, describes healthy pops as “green juice and frozen yogurt having a baby.” They have the sweet, crave-worthy flavor of a dessert, she tells Yahoo Health, with the added benefits of vitamins and antioxidants from fruits and veggies.
“I think that today, many people are trying to be healthy without having to take the joy out of eating,” Milrom explains. “Healthy popsicles are great because they take the juice craze [and] make it a little more playful.”
Healthy popsicles are, well, popping up in stores across the country — look for an ingredient list comprised mostly of fruits, veggies, and water with no added sugars — but making them yourself is a lot easier than you may think. “Any smoothie that tastes good to you will probably make a great pop,” Milrom says. “Some people like very sweet smoothies with more fruit and some prefer more vegetables, so find what works for you.”
That said, there are two things to consider. Firstly, says Milrom, “things taste less sweet when frozen, so make the juice or smoothie a tad sweeter than you would normally want it.” (That banana-free smoothie may taste just sweet enough as a drink, but would you want to lick a frozen version of it? Maybe not.) It’s also worth noting what color your blend will be, Milrom says. “Things are always more appetizing when they look good. For instance, green leafy vegetables look great with banana but don’t mix so well with beets.” (Would you want to lick a gray-ish pop? Didn’t think so.)
Ready to give it a go? “Try mixing almond milk, blueberries, [and] bananas, and then freezing it,” Milrom suggests. If you want something a little heartier, try this recipe from Yahoo Health intern Emily Sundberg (and woman behind the @shelovesfoodnyc Instagram): Assemble one container of plain Greek yogurt, two containers of plum-flavored Greek yogurt (we like Chobani), ¼ cup chopped pistachios, and ½ cup blueberries. Layer the fruit and different flavors in popsicle molds and freeze for eight hours.
See? Easy. Try it for yourself, and don’t forget to tag us in any resulting pictures — we’re @yahoohealth.
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