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The Green Dish: Ice Cream Pops and Popsicles

posted by Melissa Breyer Jul 7, 2008 1:00 pm
The Green Dish: Ice Cream Pops and Popsicles
28 comments

By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Healthy and Green Living

The ice cream bars and popsicles available at the store on our corner are a little scary. Supernaturally vibrant and made from ingredients that seem completely superfluous, I always feel a huge flush of guilt when my daughters talk me into getting them. But when it’s a hot, Brooklyn day, and we’re walking by, it’s hard to resist their joyful (if not slightly plaintive) pleas for these childhood summertime treats.

When I was young we used to make popsicles in plastic popsicle molds, but they never, ever, satisfied like the real McCoy. They tasted like frozen orange juice concentrate. But if I have been able to convince my kids to love a thick homemade smoothie more than a bowl of ice cream, maybe I can get them to love a homemade all-natural popsicle as much as the terrifying Sponge Bob version from the store.

So here’s the plan: We’ll use paper cups and wooden popsicle sticks, we’ll mix and match our concoctions, freeze, unmold, and enjoy summer on a stick–without the high fructose corn syrup, red dye number 3, and bubble gum eyeballs.

I have collected some smoothie recipes from the Care2 archives that would make perfect “ice cream” bars. There are just some basic techniques to follow.

  • Make the puree with enough liquid so that the mixture is very smooth.
  • Pour the mix in paper cups, about 2/3 full.
  • Place a popsicle stick or chopstick in the cup.
  • Wait until frozen, dip cup in water to unmold it, remove cup, enjoy.

Frozen Banana Mango with Cardamom Bar
This is really a cold soup recipe, but is delicious as a frozen bar.

Frozen Raspberry Cappuccino Bar
Use regular yogurt here instead of frozen yogurt.

Frozen Watermelon Mint Bar
Doesn’t get more refreshing than this.

Frozen Super Berry Bar
Super anti-oxidant, and vegan!

More on Blogs (218 articles available)
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28 comments

28 comments

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28 comments add your comment
Eli Is Here

Thank you for the article. I'm going to give them a try!!

Nyack Clancy

Thank you for the post

Mervi R.

These sound absolutely yummy, thank you so much for the recipes!

Joel Walther

Violet, I too make green tea pops. Then I was recently in Whole Foods and found a company that makes them. They are called Frosteas and they're amazing. They do something to make them less of a chunk of ice, like I get, and more crystally (is that a word?). They're all natural. They sweeten only with honey. They're really amazing.

Violet L.

I DON'T KNOW WHY THESE ARE COMING BACK AS THOUGH I HAVEN'T COMMENTED BEFORE. CHECK OUT THE TOP COMMENT! IT WAS JUST DONE ON AUG. 4 AND THIS IS THE 6TH. CHECK OUT COMMENT #23. VIOLET Y.

Violet Y. L.

A REFRESHING FROZEN TREAT ON A HOT DAY, MAKE GREEN/WHITE FUSION TEA, POUR IN CUP, PUT IT IN THE FREEZER, MAKE MORE OF THE SAME, PUTTING IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR. AFTER
THE CONTAINER IN THE FREEZER HAS FROZEN IN
THE MIDDLE OF DAY, TAKE FROM FREEZER, POUR
FROM THE REFRIGERATED PORTION TO FILL CONTAINER AND HAVE A COLD REFRESHING "ICED
TEA" VIOLET Y.

Jan Sadauskas

Great recipes! Let's all get back to making our own. Ice cream in the store is one of the worst foods for you. Check the ingredients. The list goes on: whiteners, stablizers, preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, gum, etc, etc. Hold the extras, we just want the ice cream.

Debbie C.

Thanks for the recipes! They sound yummy! I am an ice cream addict and appreciate some healthy alternatives.

Linda Andersen

I make smoothies with coconut milk, and maybe add some soy, oat or rice milk. It's so good! I've read that a smoothie made of bananas, coconutmilk, coconut oil and...whay's the english name? In norwegian it's called "pinjekjerner". Seeds from the 'Pinus Pinea', that this mix is good for waking up your pineal gland, also called 'third eye gland'.
That's what it said :)

Renee B.

I make yogurt smoothies using blended ice cubes, yogurt and fruit. I just freeze them and you've got a healthy, cold treat on a stick.

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