Real Food Friday: Summer Sunshine Fruitsicles

Summer solstice is still a few weeks away, but here in the Okanagan this week it is already feeling like July.

Even though I have lived here for almost four years now, this heat still sneaks up on me. Our fans that are boxed up in the garage half of the year are being hauled out this week. Every ceiling fan in the house is working overtime, and I am starting to think about meals that do not require me to turn on the stove or the oven.

One of my favorite summer treats are popsicles. Who doesn't love a popsicle on a sweltering summer day? Most supermarket popsicles are packed with sugar, corn syrup, artificial flavors/colors and many other "ingredients" that make this treat a poor choice for ourselves and our children. The good news is that you can make healthy and tasty popsicles at home that require minimal effort and allow for unbounded creativity and adaptability, as you can experiment with pretty much any fruit and vegetable combination you want to!

Strawberries are in season at the moment in the Okanagan! My partner and I spend the summer stockpiling berries and other fruit to freeze or preserve to last us through the entire winter season. We generally hit up the farmers market once a week to buy a few flats of seasonal fruit. The initial cost may seem high, but in the long run it is much more cost effective than buying those small bags of frozen berries from the grocery store. On top of the financial benefit the nutrient content will be higher, you will know where your berries are coming from and to top it off you are putting money right back into the pocket of the farmers in your community instead of the mega-chain retailers. Staying community minded can be difficult at times, but the benefits are so worth it.

Summer Sunshine Fruitsicles

Ingredients:

• 1 Litre of Strawberries

• 1 1/2 cup of water or coconut milk

• 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

• 1 small lime

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Preparation:

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until very well combined. Pour into popsicle molds and let them sit in the freezer for a couple of hours. You really can play around with whatever you think would make a nice fruity popsicle, and add in some of your favorite superfoods where ever you can.

Seasonally yours,

Cayla Lou

#fruit #popsicles #glutenfree #vegan #vegetarian #dessert #seasonaleating