Earlier this week we talked about freezing muskmelon and watermelon in chunks, to be enjoyed in a variety of ways throughout the year. Today, I’ve got another frozen recipe for you, this one meant to be enjoyed now, while it’s still nice and warm out!
Meet the Melon Pops, a quick and easy treat that is deliciously healthy, with no added sugars! Simply chop, blend, season, pour, and freeze the melon mixture into a Popsicle mold, and ta-da! You have your very own pops, made from scratch. You can pick up your very own Popsicle mold from any kitchen-supply store. Many grocery and hardware stores also carry them this time of year. They come in many shapes and sizes, so have a little fun with it! I grabbed some that turn out pops that look like precious jewels. Let me know what kinds you find!
Store-bought Popsicles are often full to the brim of added sugars, and have little nutritional benefit. Did you know that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), added sugars should be limited to less than 5-10% of our total daily energy intake? This translates to no more than 12 teaspoons of added sugars per day for the average adult. For kids, the recommendation is no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day. The average Popsicle that you’ll find in the grocery store contains up to 14g of sugar – that’s more than 1 adult should consume in a day, and more than double what our kids should be eating! Popsicles are a great treat once in a while, but for something to be enjoyed on the daily, try making these homemade guys today. Not only do they contain 0 added sugar, they are made fresh from our melons, which means they are full of the healthy vitamins and minerals we talked about last time – Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Lycopene.
For an interesting twist, try adding some of my suggested flavouring options – from a variety of herbs to other fruits, the options are pretty much endless. Some may seem strange and surprising, but I promise, they pair well with the melons!
Muskmelon Pops
Ingredients
1 cup muskmelon chunks, diced
¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼ teaspoon flavouring per popsicle
Flavouring options: basil, mint, ginger, lemon, lime, raspberries
Instructions
Add diced muskmelon and yogurt to a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth.
Carefully pour blended melon and yogurt into the popsicle molds and place in freezer for at least 4 hours.
To remove from the molds, run under warm water until loose.
Enjoy!
Watermelon Pops
Ingredients
1 cup seedless watermelon chunks, diced
¼ teaspoon flavouring per popsicle
Flavouring options: basil, mint, lemon, lime, blueberries, chili powder
Instructions
Add diced watermelon to a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth.
Carefully pour blended melon into the popsicle molds and place in freezer for at least 4 hours.
To remove from the molds, run under warm water until loose.
Enjoy!
Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD