Theo has reached that lovely stage where it is virtually impossible to get anything done while he’s awake and on the prowl, and he is in this wakeful, prowling state for the vast majority of the day. Yes, son, you can pull yourself to a standing position. That does not mean you SHOULD do so on everything of appropriate height, nor that you should pull everything within arms reach onto your head/face/toes. Nor should you remove your hands and try to walk away – newsflash: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO WALK.
When you have a little person thinking shenanigans are hilarious and necessary, you bake less, you cook less, and you clean more. Because if you skip the cleaning, all the dirt will be attached to that sticky little person who is constantly stuck under the kitchen table, giving the toilet an amorous hug, or finding snacks where only little arms can reach under the fridge or stove.
Popsicles are a really good solution when you need to make a snack that entertains a baby. We have bright colours, good smells, food he can sample, loud blender noises…what’s not to love for a baby?! These also happen to be healthy popsicles, so you won’t feel bad about giving your baby a lick or two on a hot day, and the rest of the family can eat as many as it takes to cool down :)
When I want to make popsicles I invariably make Homemade Fudgsicles or just pour my leftover morning smoothie into popsicle molds, so when I received 200 Best Ice Pop Recipes to review, I had a really hard time narrowing down what to make first!
My kids and husband love popsicles, so this book gave me some much needed creativity in that department. If you don’t have popsicle molds, now is the perfect time of year to buy some, as I’ve seen them on sale everywhere for less than $5 and making them yourself is way cheaper and healthier (and more fun) than buying popsicles!
I settled on making these Carrot Orange Less Drip Ice Pops because less drip sounded like a good thing and fruit and veggies are definitely good things! Mine didn’t turn out quite as orange as the original, probably because I used carrots from my garden, which are much lighter orange than the big storebought ones. And much more cuddly.
If your kids, like mine, think using carrots to make popsicles more orange is really cool, they will love this recipe. If they do not think carrots are cool, make them when they’re not around and call them Orange Popsicles, because once these are done they will absolutely never know the difference.
Here’s the really orange version:
And my less-orange version:
The only change I suggest is adding orange or lemon zest to the mixture to up the citrus flavour even more. Orange is a pretty mild citrus flavour, especially if you’re not using fresh-squeezed juice, and popsicles are best with as much flavour as possible.
These delivered in the no-drip department thanks to a tablespoon of gelatin in the mix, and as for the flavour, Gemma declared she liked them better than fudgsicles, so yeah, they’re good. Mind you, she’ll take fruit and veggies over chocolate any day, so she may not be the best judge :) Perfect for a hot day as we head into the last bits of summer, these are a treat you can feel good about!
If you love popsicles, you need to check out thise book – with 200 recipes ranging from Strawberry Sangria Ice Pops to Raspberry Meringue Ice Pops to Pink and White Layered Ice Pops for Valentine’s Day, you’re bound to find something for everyone. Every recipe includes tips, along with extensive information at the beginning of the book with everything you need to know about making, storing, unmolding, and flavouring ice pops.
I can’t even imagine having a mind that creates 200 flavours of ice pops – I wish I could think of 10 versions on my own! My popsicle molds will be getting some heavy use for the remainder of the summer, thanks to this book.
- 1 1⁄2 Tbsp unsweetened gelatin powder (I used 1 Tbsp, as that was the amount in one package)
- 2 cups orange juice, divided
- 3⁄4 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- In blender, purée carrots, 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) orange juice and water. Transfer to a saucepan and stir in sugar and honey. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large measuring cup, sprinkle gelatin over 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) orange juice. Set aside until gelatin is softened, about 3 minutes.
- Place sieve over gelatin mixture and strain carrot mixture into it, pressing out as much juice and pulp as possible. Discard solids. Whisk until gelatin is thoroughly dissolved, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining 1 cup (250 mL) orange juice. Set aside to cool.
- Give mixture a quick stir. Pour into molds and freeze until slushy, then insert sticks and freeze until solid, for at least 4 hours. If you are using an ice pop kit, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Makes about 8 2-oz popsicles.
Excerpted from 150 Best Ice Pop Recipes by Andrew Chase © 2013 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All opinions are, as always, my own. Recipes and image used with permission.
Interesting…I don’t know if I would have picked popsicles with carrots in them as my first choice. You are obviously healthier than I am :) As for colour, I do believe that yours look more ‘real’ so I vote for yours!
Haha, my kids drink veggie/fruit juice blends all the time and you can’t taste the veggies at all!