Mmmmmmm…Ice Pops…Just the sound of “ice pop” gets my heart-a-racing. I’m such a baby when it comes to the darn things. I’ll only buy two off the shelf products out there…Fruttare and Dreyer’s Outshine (or Edy’s if you are on the East coast). Which by the way, this still has yet to make sense to me. It’s like Best Foods and Hellmann’s. IT’S THE SAME EXACT THING! WHY MUST WE HAVE TWO NAMES?! Anyway. Yes, these bars are pretty spectacular. They are also easy. No work involved, but there is something super special about making your own. Maybe it’s the freshness you get from them. Who knows. All I know is that they taste great, and they are worth the work. These pops combine some of my favorite ingredients: blueberry and lemonade…And some of my not so favorite ingredients: Greek yogurt. I honestly wish I liked the stuff. It makes me so sad, and it’s not that I don’t like the taste of it. It’s the texture that really gets to me. I try to eat yogurt by using it in different ways: like making ice pops. It’s a great alternative that gets rid of that God-awful texture. These blueberry lemonade frozen yogurt ice pops are perfect. Try them out!
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Fun Facts and Opinions:
1. It was an epic fail on my part to get the “swirled” effect in my pops (as I mentioned in the instructions list). The attempt was there, yet it was a complete failure. I like the IDEA of a “swirled” effect. In any case, this step is obviously optional. This will not change the way the pop tastes. It will only look cooler. I really don’t know where I was getting with this. The point is, the “swirled” effect is beautiful, but not necessary =).
2. Popsicle molds are not necessary. I like my mold. I went crazy looking for one a couple of months ago and ended up buckling down and just ordering one off of Amazon. If you think you will be making a ton of pops, I highly suggest investing in one. They are affordable and a great tool. If this is a once and done type of deal, then dixie cups and popsicle sticks will work just fine. They will just be on the smaller side =).
This is the one I use: Progressive International Molds
3. I’d like to think that these ice pops are super duper healthy, and sure they aren’t the worst things in the world for you. They are made with fresh fruit and fresh Greek yogurt, but yes there are some simple syrups involved; and simple syrups require a crap ton of sugar. This can be altered if you wish, although the end result won’t be as sweet. Also, lemonade isn’t lemonade without some sugar involved. Tone down the sugar if you find it is too much is the moral of the story. Hopefully you will only be eating one of these and not all ten. In the end, it’s not all that bad. The nutritional facts were pretty on point. Check them out below in the recipe =).
4. No beer pairing today. It just didn’t seem right.
5. Patience is a virtue. Let these babies freeze! You don’t want them to fall apart when you try to pull them out of the molds. Practice some self control people! It’s worth the wait. I promise!
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Have a great day!
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Let''s celebrate the start of August with something super scrumptious and summery. These blueberry lemonade frozen yogurt ice pops are the perfect treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 pint blueberries
- 1 packet gelatin (optional)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 pint Greek yogurt, plain
Instructions
- If you are using a popsicle mold, place the mold in the freezer for at least 1 hour before you are ready to assemble your pops.
- For the blueberry sauce, in a large saucepan, combine the water, lemon juice and sugar over medium heat. Allow for the sugar to dissolve completely and then add your blueberries. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook for at least 45 minutes or up to an hour; or until the mixture has thickened and reduced by half. If you find that you would like for the blueberry mixture to be a bit thicker, add a packet of gelatin (this is optional). Set aside to cool for at least 15-20 minutes.
- For the lemonade yogurt, combine the water, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow for the sugar to dissolve completely and then remove from heat and let cool for 15-20 minutes as well. Once cool, fold the yogurt into the "lemonade" and stir to combine. Set aside.
- To assemble your pops, fill each popsicle mold a third of the way up with yogurt. Fill the next third with the blueberry mixture, and then top off with more yogurt. Using a long skewer or butter knife, swirl the components together in each mold, so that you get a "swirled" effect (this step is also optional). Freeze your pops for at least 4-5 hours before serving. Best if frozen over night. Will store for about a week in the freezer.
Notes
Hardware: * Large Saucepan * Small Saucepan * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Rubber Spatula * Whisk * Heavy Wooden Spoon * Popsicle Mold (or something similar) * Long Skewer or butter knife *
