Strawberry & Mango Popsicle Recipe

Man, is it hot down here in Houston this weekend! Days like today, and probably every other day until October-ish, make me crave something refreshing to snack on. After a long day of playing with our new water table in the backyard (thanks Ya-Ya and Papa!) my son and I retreated into the house for some air conditioning and a snack. Luckily, I had whipped up a batch of Popsicles the day before.

This recipe was super easy, and made up on a whim. I just used what I had in the my refrigerator and I am sure with a little experimenting, you could use any fruit that's in season. Next time, I'm going to try and sneak some type of veggie in my pops!!! These would  be really great for a teething baby or toddler, possibly frozen in an ice cube tray and used inside of a mesh feeder.

Now lets talk price:

Lime               $0.30
Strawberries $0.99 for conventional or $2.99 for organic
Mango            $ 0.33

Depending on which strawberries you choose you are either looking at $1.62 for the conventional recipe or $3.62 for the organic recipe. Either way you go, these are a much better alternative to most Popsicles found in your grocery store.

Strawberry & Mango Popsicle Recipe

Makes 4 twin pops

1 Mango, peeled and cubed
1 lb of strawberries, tops removed and sliced
Sweetener of choice, I used maple syrup
Juice of a lime

Puree mango in either blender or food processor, set aside in bowl. Juice 1/2 lime into the bowl and mix it up! Now, puree your strawberries and sweetener together. I used 1 tsp if maple syrup and they tasted great, but if you want a very sweet Popsicle I would recommend adding a little more. Now squeeze the other half of the lime into the strawberries and mix.

I wanted my Popsicles to look pretty, so I layered the mango and strawberry separately using  a funnel. I have the Tovolo Twin Pop Mold and really like it! (Also the price on Amazon was cheaper than what I found in store, bummer!) Just be gentle with the Popsicle sticks and run your mold under water before trying to pry them out.

Happy Summer!!

Proud Mommy Moment!

I have to share a very happy, proud moment that happened this past weekend on Mother's Day. My son will be one at the end of the month and we had a huge party for him last weekend. I have been debating for a while whether or not to give him cake, cookies and other stuff that we normally do not feed him. I have been a hawk since day one and watched carefully as to what we feed him. There have been a few bites of frozen yogurt here and there but for the most part, he's been eating only fruits, veggies, meat and whole grains. People have told me to relax, that he is just a kid and should enjoy treats and cookies. I know most people are just trying to help and don't really know exactly what is in our food, but I refuse to give my son a bad start in life due to peer pressure or laziness. My hubby and I decided that on his birthday, he could eat what he wanted. A friend handed him a chocolate chip cookie, he took a bite and then put it down on the table. He was completely disinterested! I was so happy. Then came cake smash time...he only played in the cake!! He took a bite of icing and then decided he was done. I can't tell you how proud this made me feel. All my hard work, all my firmness in my beliefs of feeding him only the cleanest, only the best food has paid off. Some people were surprised to see him happily munching on a red bell pepper strip later in the party, but those who have been around my son a lot knew what his normal eating habits are.

It just makes me want to persevere in my clean eating journey, this event gives me courage to say, "No!" and feed him the best. It does take extra time to make clean food, to not just open the package of baby food or pick up a Happy Meal on the way home. It takes courage to tell family members that you love and adore that they can't feed your child custard and chocolate. All these extra efforts are surely worth the feeling that I had this past weekend, and that I have right now typing this. My son, the clean eating almost one year old will eat anything and everything, except sugary sweets!