"Beet" the heat with delicious and nutritious Smoothie Popsicles. Trying to sneak more veggies and fruits into your children's diets or looking for healthy treats to beat the summer heat? Grab your blender and make refreshingly tasty fruit and veggie popsicles, perfect for a family/friend barbecue, a snack break during play time for the kiddos, or sitting poolside with your favorite book.
While visiting my adorable nephews (4-year-old and 18-month-old) in Oregon last week, two things were evident: 1) I absolutely love being an auntie. It is the best! 2) Sometimes it takes some finagling and disguising to get more veggies into children's diets. Smoothie popsicles are the perfect way to sneak some extra healthy ingredients into daily diets as smoothie popsicles are deliciously inviting and taste like dessert!
Smoothie popsicles are quite simple. Blend a smoothie with your favorite fruits and veggies. Use your favorite fruits, greens, and veggies as the base of the smoothie. Start with about 1/2 - 1 cup fruits/veggies and 1/2 cup coconut water, orange juice, or milk of your choice (I LOVE almond milk). Add a couple tablespoons of Greek or vegan yogurt, more juice or liquid as needed, until the smoothie blends smoothly. For presentation or a dramatic design, layer or swirl colors. Popsicle molds are found in most grocery stores and Amazon.
For my nephews, I made three types of popsicles:
Beet Berry, and Coconut Yogurt Smoothie Popsicles
Golden Beet, Mango, and Coconut Yogurt Smoothie Popsicles
Pineapple, Mango, and Coconut Milk Smoothie Popsicles.
All three were a hit! Making smoothie popsicles with children is also interactive. Nephew Gabriel loves helping by pushing the buttons on the blender. These popsicles were perfect for the really hot days (almost 90 degrees F) in Oregon.
I was overjoyed when 4-year-old Gabriel loved the beet berry pops as he can normally sniff out beetroot in the sweetest of smoothies and will say, "No Thanks!" when offered. Nephew Gideon is at the stage where he will eat anything, and he currently adores fruits and veggies, often eating beets plain. We hope he never grows out of his love for healthy foods!
Beet, Berry and Coconut Smoothie Popsicle Recipe (Vegan / Gluten-Free)
INGREDIENTS
Beet, Berry, and Coconut Yogurt Smoothie Popsicles
1 raw small red beet, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup strawberries and raspberries
1/3 cup blueberries
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 cup coconut or vanilla vegan yogurt
honey (optional for added sweetness)
Golden Beet, Mango, and Coconut Yogurt Smoothie Popsicles
1 golden beet
1/2 cup mango
1 orange
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup coconut or vanilla vegan yogurt
honey (optional for added sweetness)
DIRECTIONS
Wash all ingredients. Peel raw beets and quarter. Add ingredients to blender. Swirl away! Add more liquid or fruits/veggies as needed. Pour smoothie ingredients into molds. Freeze overnight (some will freeze within 3-4 hours). After they are frozen, gently remove popsicles from the molds. You may need to run molds under warm water for a few minutes. Enjoy!
Looking for more deliciously complete smoothie recipes? Try Beet, Berry, and Mint Smoothie or Golden Beet, Orange, and Mango Smoothie.
STILL HUNGRY?
