With the passing of Labor Day and the official beginning of fall next week, I’m feeling simultaneous sadness and excitement. Since moving to Maryland in 2003 I have learned to love fall. Every year some of my closest friends and I get together for various “holidays” including Fall Fun Day and Friendsgiving (which we once called El Dia De Erntedank Celebration and I couldn’t tell you why), and most years I take a trip to NYC so my friend Cathleen and I can enjoy our inaugural pumpkin spice lattes together while wandering Chelsea Market.
But despite the truly lovely fall activities, I’m still a warm weather girl at heart. I grew up in Florida and spent summers visiting family in Trinidad and Tobago so I am no stranger to triple-digit temperatures and, in fact, I relish the heat. Where most people complain about humidity and sweat, I feel energized by the sun’s rays and I think there’s nothing better than a hot, sticky, summer afternoon nap (you didn’t think I was going to say nap, did you?). Yup, while I’m very much looking forward to this year’s Fall Fun Day campfire, I’d be willing to forgo the roasted hot dogs if it meant a few more days of maxi dresses and barbecues.
So, in honor of my complete unwillingness to let summer go, I’ve taken to making popsicles and eating them for basically every meal. I tell myself that this is OK because they’re healthy… don’t ruin it for me. I originally found a recipe online and I’ve been playing around with it ever since. This is how I make my base for my popsicles. You’ll notice that I use coconut milk, that’s because I love creamy popsicles and my husband is lactose intolerant. I am guessing that water, any milk substitute, or plain milk, would work in place of the coconut milk, I’ve just never tried it. I’d love to hear comments from anyone who makes this base with 50/50 water and vodka, as I’m typing this I’m silently chastising myself for never trying that. I also use honey as my sweetener because it’s delicious, but again, any sweetener would work. I encourage you to add whatever ingredients make your heart happy.
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 2-4 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups fruit of choice pureed or chopped (depending on your preferred chunkiness level)
Transfer to popsicle molds and pop in the freezer until frozen.
As with everything else in my life, I add essential oils to my popsicles. So this is the recipe that is currently hanging out in my freezer.
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 2 cups pureed strawberries strained to remove the seeds (straining isn’t necessary, but I like to remove the seeds when I have the time)
- 2 drops basil essential oil
- 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
Have you ever tried making your own popsicles?
What is your favorite flavor combination or one you’d like to try?
Want to learn more about how to incorporate essential oils into your life? Contact Blair now!