Refreshing and simple popsicles you can make from fresh ingredients

When the warning messages for heat waves make their rounds urging you to stay indoors during the day, going out and getting a popsicle from the local vendor also seems like a daunting task. What's the next best choice? Why of course, it’s making your own popsicles with whatever you have at home.

1. Berry Yoghurt Popsicle

Ingredients:

• 235 gm frozen berries of choice
• 250 gm yoghurt
• 3-4 tbsp honey
• 1-2 tbsp sugar

Instructions:

1. Mix honey and yoghurt in a bowl. Keep aside. Add the frozen berries into a blender and puree. Taste the puree, and add the sugar if you want your popsicle sweeter.
2. Pour a tablespoon of berry puree into the popsicle moulds. Then add a tablespoon of the honey yoghurt. Repeat until full. Then push the popsicle ends into the filled cavities.
3. Put into the freezer for 4-6 hours — demould popsicles after that. If the popsicles are stuck, use warm water on the moulds to dislodge the frozen lollies.

2. Strawberry Banana Pops

Instructions:

• 155 gm strawberries
• 2 bananas (average 100 gm)
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Take a blender and add the strawberries, bananas and lemon juice. Blend for a minute or two.
2. Once smooth, scoop into the popsicle moulds. For a fun chunky popsicle consider pouring it into paper cups instead. Keep a little space on top for the popsicle to expand
3. Push wooden sticks or popsicle ends into the cups or moulds.
4. Place the filled moulds or cups into the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours.
5. Once frozen, remove the popsicles from the moulds or peel away the paper cups.

3. Strawberry Popsicle

Ingredients:

• 285 gm fresh strawberries
• 60 gm powdered sugar
• 60 ml water
• 30 ml lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Wash the strawberries and chop off their stems with the leaves. Cut them down and put them in a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients too and blend until smooth.
2. Pour this puree into popsicle moulds. Then insert sticks into the centres.
3. Keep in the freezer overnight, or 4-6 hours, for best results.
4. Unmould and serve after. Store them wrapped in parchment paper, in ziplock bags for later.

4. Tri-colour popsicle

(Makes 10 popsicles)

Ingredients:

• Red Layer
• 145 gm strawberries, fresh or defrosted
• 75 ml lemonade
• 75 gm plain yogurt
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• White Layer
• 150 ml lemonade
• 75 gm plain yogurt
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• Blue Layer
• 75 gm blueberries, fresh or defrosted
• 75 ml lemonade
• 75 gm plain yogurt
• 2 tsp granulated sugar

Instructions:

1. Start with the red layer, add all the ingredients into the blender and puree into a smooth consistency. Pour into popsicle moulds and insert the sticks into each centre. Freeze for 2 hours
2. Next blend all the ingredients for the white layer, pour into mould, freeze for two hours again.
3. Repeat the same with the blueberry layer too. This time freeze for 4-6 hours.
4. Unmould from mould and eat right away. Store extras in a ziplock pouch.

Tip: You can add all three layers at one go without freezing but the three layers will not be even. You could also consider adding, red and blue food colouring to the respective layers to make their colours pop when unmoulded.

5. Choco-Vanilla Pops

Ingredients:

• Vanilla Layer
• 150 ml almond milk (unsweetened)
• 45 gm protein powder (plain)
• 50 gm coconut yoghurt
• 3 dates (pitted)
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• Chocolate Layer
• 150 ml almond milk (unsweetened)
• 45 gm protein powder (plain)
• 1 banana (about 150 gm)
• 3 dates (pitted)
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 tbsp Cadbury Cocoa powder

Instructions:

For the Vanilla Layer:

1. Put all ingredients for the vanilla layer in a blender. Blend until ultra smooth.
2. Pour into a container and set aside.

For the Chocolate Layer:

1. Put all the ingredients for the chocolate layer in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into a container and set aside.

For the Popsicles:

1. Take 6 popsicle moulds tray. Fill each mould halfway with the vanilla smoothie mixture. Freeze for 1 hour. This will help to partially freeze the vanilla layer.
2. Pour the chocolate smoothie mixture over the semi-frozen vanilla layer. Using a skewer or popsicle stick, swirl the two layers together.
3. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 6 hours until completely frozen.
4. To unmold, dip the popsicle moulds briefly in hot water to loosen them.
5. Store unmolded popsicles in freezer bags until ready to enjoy.