Cranberry Chia Coconut Popsicles.
It is the middle of January here in Australia and boy it is hot! The kids are busy playing outside at the park or the beach all day. When they finally stop for a moment and realise how much of an appetite that they have worked up, they want a snack, and they want it now. I am always on the search for healthy snacks that can pack a great nutrition punch into the kids daily diet. Main meal times can often be a struggle and kids can just be simply resistant to whatever you put in front of them. For me, miss 4 gives me this battle on most evenings. By putting in little bursts of nutrient rich foods throughout the day, then it takes the stress out of ensuring that the main meals are perfect.
NUTRITION TIP
I hear you say……how healthy can popsicles be? Well, yes they are a treat food, but we can create them with ingredients and nutrients that are not centre stage in your child’s typical diet. The main nutrient in these popsicles is FAT. Yep, fat. Delicious healthy fats from the coconut milk that nourish the lining of our cells, promotes healthy skin and nourishes the brain. Coconut oil does contain saturated fat, however they are medium-chain fatty acids that are metabolised differently from most fats in the diet. Medium-chain fatty acids go straight to the liver from the digestive tract and are used as a quick source of energy and are turned into ketone bodies. These ketone bodies have been shown to be very therapeutic to the brain.
If you use the cranberry chia jam in the recipe, then the kids will be getting a great fibre and gut nourishing boost from the chia seeds. The cranberries have great anti microbial actions, plus they are loaded with vitamin C and bioflavonoids.
BACK TO THE RECIPE…
This is a great dairy free popsicle for those who are avoiding dairy, without compromising on the creaminess. You could use an almond milk as a base, but you wont get the rich creamy texture that is desired in ice creams.
For these popsicles I used the cranberry chia jam that I have in the fridge. If you didn’t want to use this, you could just use some frozen raspberries instead.
- 1 cup coconut milk or cream full fat
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cranberry chia apple jam or frozen raapberries
- In a blender combine the coconut milk, banana, vanilla and maple syrup. Blend until it is smooth
- Spoon a small amount of cranberry jam or frozen raspberries (mashed) into the tip of the popsicle moulds.
- Pour in the coconut mixture.
- Let it set in the freezer over night.