Your kids (and you!) can cool off with this frozen treat without a sugar crash and while getting oodles of good-for-you fruit, fiber, and vitamins in these Apple Berry Cinnamon Mango Vanilla Pops.
These *silicone pop making sleeves are much easier to pour your liquid into and unlike a popsicle, less drips and clean up.
*(I originally ordered a set of 4 on Amazon but the box was damaged so they sent me another! Now you can order a 4 pack or an 8 pack. It looks like it is cheaper to order two 4 packs than an 8 pack.)
What I love about this combination is that it makes over 40 ounces. I give each of my children a 6 oz. glass of it to drink right away as a snack and then prepare 8 pops to freeze (each holds a 1/2 cup or 4 oz.). The other benefit is that if they don’t like the smoothie, I don’t turn it into pops. But rest assured, this one is kid approved by my two and their friends!
I used a combination that I knew would taste tropical to go with summer time and sweet enough to qualify as a treat. The vanilla extract is something I frequently use in my kids’ smoothies to give flavor without added sugar and the effects of cinnamon, fiber-protein-Omega 3 in the hemp seeds, and glycemic index of the berries helps too. I use a very small amount of vanilla but if you prefer, alcohol-free vanilla is available at some stores. A high powered blender helps if you are using mostly frozen fruit but you can make this with fresh fruit as well. You will be freezing the mixture anyway!
Unlike popsicle making sets, the one down side of the ice pop maker set is that the individual sleeves cannot stand on their own and do not come with a stand. A simple solution for this is propping them up in a freezer safe container or glass as you poor the smoothie or juice in. You CAN lay them on their side in the freezer and will not spill if the caps are secured properly. Do not fill them to the rim but rather allow approximately a 1/2-3/4 inch of room for the cap.
Then they are all set to go into the freezer!
ABC Mango Vanilla Smoothie Pops
(Apple Berry Cinnamon Mango Vanilla Pops)
Charlotte Veggie Original
GF, GRF, NF, and DF depending on type of fluid used
Makes roughly 44 oz. = 8 pops + two 6 oz. smoothies was my result
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen mixed berries (or any one type of berry, fresh can be used instead)
1 cup frozen mango chunks (or fresh)
1 extra cup mango chunks or frozen pineapple tidbits
2 apples, sliced
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups water or milk or nondairy milk or any combination resulting in this amount
Directions:
Blend the above ingredients until it resembles a shake.
Pour into pop or popsicle maker of choice.
Freeze 6 hours or overnight.
For another kid-friendly smoothie to drink or freeze, check out You Are My Sunshine Smoothie!
