Since my kids have been home from school for summer break, they have been asking for popsicles. We decided to try and make some using our juicer and our Zoku Quick Pop Maker. We use the Omega J8006 Nutrition Center Juicer. The Zoku is stored in the freezer and can make up to six 2 1/4″ x 3 1/2″ pops (two 2-oz. pops at a time) before refreezing the unit is required. Each set of pops takes about 7 minutes to make. Simply pour the juice into the mold and wait seven minutes for it to freeze.

These pops are so, so, so much better for you than store bought pops. There is no comparison. None. The pops made with a juicer are good for you and provide essential vitamins and nutrients to keep your body thriving. The ingredients in many store-bought popsicles are detrimental to your health. For example the Popsicle brand of watermelon ice pops are made of the following ingredients (at-risk GMO ingredients are bolded in red):

water, maltodextrin, corn syrup, fructose, citric acid, malic acid, locust bean gum, guar gum, natural and artificial flavor, yellow 5, blue 1 —  (No mention of watermelon!)

When making pops with fresh watermelon juice, the only ingredient is watermelon juice. One watermelon slice contains about 33 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin A, which your body uses to build skin, bones and teeth, and to keep your eyes healthy. It also contains about 38.6 percent of your vitamin C requirement. Potassium is the most prevalent mineral in watermelon, with about 9.2 percent of your daily requirement in each slice. Staying well hydrated is important for proper function of virtually every part of your body. MayoClinic.com says a good rule of thumb is to make sure you consume about eight 8-oz. glasses of water per day, for a total of 64 oz. of water. However, some of this water can come from the food you eat, as well as from the beverages you drink. Watermelon is roughly 92 percent water content, which means that eating watermelon can help make sure your daily water consumption is sufficient. ~ Information provided by www.livestrong.com

I added Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips to the watermelon pops for the “seeds”. These chips are certified gluten free, contain no wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg or soy. They are also made without casein, potato, sesame or sulfites and contain no trans fat or cholesterol. They are certified kosher, vegan – no preservatives, all natural. I replaced our Toll House chips with these chips without telling my kids and no one knew the difference.

Another flavor we made this week is mango. The only ingredient in these pops is mango juice and they are delicious!

The possibilities are endless. As we come up with new recipes, I will be sure to post!

~ Focus on foods you should eat, instead of what you shouldn’t.