We all scream for ice cream, yes, but how about a cool, guilt-free treat that you can reach for whenever the temperatures rise?
My daughter lives in a vintage studio apartment with no air conditioning. Without much room for specialized kitchen gear, she started making watermelon granita many summers ago after splitting open a watermelon and finding that it was mushy inside. Now that she's working from home these days, it's become a staple for a quick, cooling pick me up between zooms.
Emma's watermelon recipe got rave reviews from the kids next door when we made it into ice pops. It's simple: cut up a watermelon (or even just the mushy parts) and puree it in a blender or food processor. Press puree through a sieve and add a little lime juice to the watermelon juice. Pour into our no-mess silicone popsicle molds and freeze.
If you prefer more specific measurements there are many cookbooks with popsicle recipes that range from classic to naturally sweet, fancy to kid-friendly.
The following recipe from For the Love of Popsicles includes yogurt for more of a creamy texture. Note that old-fashioned sticks are unnecessary with our popsicle molds - nothing to throw away, drip or tragically fall to the ground!
Cold, delicious and protein? You've risen from guilt-free to downright noble. Enjoy!
Almond Butter Maple
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup almond butter
1 banana
¼ cup maple syrup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- Pour into molds, leaving a little space at the top for them to expand. Insert sticks and freeze until hard (at least 4 hours).
- Run the mold under warm water for a few seconds to loosen them up, then remove from the mold.