(NaturalNews) Unlike most store-bought popsicles which contain little to zero nutrition and an over-dose of toxic ingredients like corn syrup and artificial colors, this homemade version packs a nutritional punch! This recipe also provides a convenient and sneaky way to get even the
pickiest eaters to enjoy spinach without plugging their noses! Imagine the satisfaction you'll get from transforming a typical junk food into one of the
healthiest options in your freezer!
These homemade popsicles are made from 100% fresh fruits and vegetables, so they are a great option for a sweet but healthy snack or dessert! Spinach is one of the main ingredients, and it's a great source of fiber, potassium and iron. The spinach also makes these popsicles a fun, bright-green color! (If you prefer to make a different color, try adding some berries to create red or purple pops!) Fresh pineapple, bananas and freshly-squeezed orange juice complete the ingredients list of this recipe, and they cleverly disguise the taste of the spinach while adding even more potassium, vitamin C and calcium to these treats.
If your picky eaters don't like spinach, you shouldn't let them watch you make this recipe the first time. You may or may not choose to reveal the ingredients to them
after they've enjoyed the flavor. It's also useful to name these pops something fun when serving them to children. The "Monster Pops" name used here plays up the fact that they are green. "Popeye Pops" is another great name, highlighting the
spinach ingredient! Either way, your picky eaters will soon be bragging to their friends about how much they enjoy eating their spinach!
"Monster Pops" Recipe
1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed tightly
2 cups fresh pineapple
2 medium ripe bananas
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice (about 2 Valencia oranges)
Place the ingredients in a blender in the order listed above. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides and "plunge" the ingredients into the blade as needed. (Note: The popsicles will taste much sweeter once they are
frozen, so don't be discouraged if the flavor of the blended mixture doesn't appeal to you. Sweetness will also vary depending upon the ripeness of the fruit, so use the ripest pineapple and bananas available.) Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4 hours until solid. Depending on the molds used, you may need to run hot water on the outside of each pop for about 10 seconds to loosen from the mold before eating. This
recipe makes 6 four-ounce pops. Enjoy!
Sources for this article includehttp://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/spinach.htmlhttp://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/banana.htmlhttp://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/pineapple.htmlhttp://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/orange.htmlAbout the author:Christy Pooschke is author of
"Eating Additive-Free" and founder of
CompletelyNourished.com - a website focused on natural food, holistic health, green living and positive thinking. The online community available through her site features 200+ delicious, natural recipes suited to a variety of dietary restrictions (gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian, soy-free, MSPI, etc.). Christy was inspired to help others reduce their reliance on processed foods after resolving her own
Fibromyalgia symptoms through diet and lifestyle changes. Want more great tips and recipes for eating an additive-free diet? Subscribe to her
natural foods blog, join her
online community of 1,200+ members, and get yourself a copy of her book - "
Eating Additive-Free: Natural Cookbook & Shopping Guide" (available as a hard copy or e-book).
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