It's getting warmer! Try these irresistibly healthy homemade popsicles

As we head into the warmer months, approaching that sweet heat of Summer, it’s time to get the senses stimulated with some seriously irresistible recipes. Getting ahead of the cravings, we just had to share these healthy, alternative popsicle recipes. Fun to make with a gorgeous look to them, they’d be a great addition to any summer party.

Making popsicles is also a brilliant activity for kids, working as both a fun afternoon, and a teaching tool that proves healthy eating is delicious and worthwhile. There’s really no need to cut out the best Summer snacks in order to avoid all the artificial chemicals and immense amounts of sugars. These popsicle recipes don’t only serve to ditch the harmful ingredients, but also incorporate legitimate nutrition. Be nourished whilst you enjoy a cooling, lip-smacking, popsicle delight without all the guilt!

Nº1 Healthy Homemade Popsicle Recipe

Water-berry Ice Lolly’s

Ingredients:

• 2 cups watermelon, chopped and pipped.
• Juice of 1 freshly squeezed medium lemon
• 10 strawberries
  Optional:
  1/2 cup – water 

Method:

1. Blend together, in a blender or food processor, adding water if the mixture is too sweet for you liking.
2. Pour into ice popsicle moulds and freeze for 4-6 hours.

Nº2 Healthy Homemade Popsicle Recipe

Good Golly! Mango & Lime Lolly!

Courtesy of Frankie’s Feast

Ingredients:

• 2 mangos
• zest of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup lime juice (1-2 limes)
• 1/3 cup coconut milk

Method:

1. Place mango, lime zest, lime juice and coconut milk in food processor or blender and pulse until well combined. Pour mixture into popsicle moulds and freeze overnight for best results. To remove from popsicle moulds with ease, run under warm water for a few seconds. 

Nº3 Healthy Homemade Popsicle Recipe 

Coconut Creamsicles

Recipe courtesy of Our Four Forks

Ingredients:

• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or natural sweetener of preference)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup orange juice (preferably fresh squeezed, or at least 100% juice, not from concentrate)
• 1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest (or mixture of the two) 

Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix together coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together orange juice and orange/lemon zest and set aside.

Two assembly options:

1. To layer, divide a quarter of the coconut mixture into the popsicle molds and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes. Add orange juice layer and freeze again. Repeat until all of the coconut milk and orange juice is used up.
2. Alternatively, simply mix the orange juice and coconut milk together, pour into the molds and then freeze until solid, several hours. We opted to go the pretty (versus practical) route and freeze individual layers, but this takes some time and makes the creamsicles more likely to break apart at the “fault” lines.

Nº4 Healthy Homemade Popsicle Recipe

The Prettiest Popsicle Around

Courtesy of Marla Meredith

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces cold water
• 1 ounce orange blossom water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Plain stevia drops (or your favourite sweetener or honey)
• 1 handful of organic edible flowers, rinsed with petals plucked (we’re using just the petals).

Method:

Combine water, orange blossom water and lemon juice, add sweetener to taste. Pour the mixture into the moulds and freeze for 1 hour. Remove from freezer and add flower petals, pushing them with a popsicle stick to desired areas. Add sticks and freeze popsicles once again for an additional 2-3 hours or longer.

Nº5 Healthy Homemade Popsicle Recipe

Cucumber Spa Pop

Courtesy of Marla Meredith

Ingredients:

• 1 cup julienned seedless Cucumber
• 1 freshly squeezed lemon, remove any seeds
• 2 cups cold, filtered or bottled water
• Natural sweetener added to taste such as agave, honey, maple syrup or stevia

Method:

1. Slice lemon in half and squeeze it over a strainer into 2 cups of cold water. Sweeten lemon water to taste with your favourite sweetener. Fill popsicle moulds 2/3 with lemonade and freeze uncovered for about 1 hour.
2. Take popsicles out of freezer. Scrape and stir any ice crystals that have formed. Add a spoonful of the julienned cucumber to the popsicle moulds. Be sure to leave a tiny bit of room at the top of your mould so they don’t overflow when you add the stick.
3. With a popsicle stick or a butter knife, press the cucumber into the mixture so it is evenly distributed. Add your popsicle sticks and then freeze popsicles for another 3-4 hours until solid.