Today is the last day of August.  Which means summer is coming to an end.  (*sniff!*)

Admittedly, it’s taken me an eternity awhile to get used to a humid Kansas City summer versus a dry Colorado one.  I don’t ever think I’ll adjust to the 115 heat index days coupled with off-the-charts humidity levels.  Some things are just plain miserable and that would be one of them.   I can definitely say I’m tolerating them better, though!  So, with the end of summer, I actually will welcome the cooler temperatures and drier air.

Still, I will miss summer.  I love summer.  Looooove summer.  Summer means longer days, picnic lunches and dinners, gardening, hiking (in Colorado at least!), biking, swimming, evening walks, green leaves and flowers, berry-picking, and all things outdoors!   It also means ice-cold lemonade, fresh summer fruits, and POPSICLES!

 

As I type this, we have a heat index of 105 degrees today in KC.  Doesn’t exactly feel like Fall is on the way!  Seemed like a perfect day to share our favorite summer recipe with you – for Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Popsicles!  We like to eat these for breakfast paired with a slice of peanut butter toast or a bowl of oatmeal.   Boo requests them daily!

I found popsicle molds at my local Wal-mart this past Spring on clearance  for $.75 and snatched them up!  I’m always looking for fun and new things to do with Boo and this sounded like something she would enjoy.  When I started looking for recipes, however, all I found were popsicle recipes loaded with sugar.  Now, we are not all things healthy and green.  Wish that we were, but we do indulge in Oreos and chips and other snacks on occasion.  However, we are *trying* to do things healthier around here and slowly learning how to adjust our cooking likewise.  For over a year now, I’ve been mixing up our own yogurt instead of buying the flavored yogurt from the store.  We really enjoy mixing PLAIN yogurt, fresh or frozen berries, and 1-2 Tablespoons of honey together for own yummy flavored yogurt – without the corn syrup, aspartame, or processed sugars that the store-bought yogurts have.  Yes, honey is still sugar.  But, from what I’ve read, honey is a better sugar alternative for you.

Here’s what Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong.com web site has to say about honey versus sugar:

“Consumption of any carbohydrate source, including refined sugar and honey, causes a rise in glucose levels in the blood.  

Because of differences in carbohydrate sources, some foods are more easily digested by the body and cause a more rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Honey and sugar are mainly made of simple sugars and can raise blood sugar rapidly compared with complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, vegetables and fruit. Nonetheless, sugar has a greater impact on blood sugar than honey when the same amount is used, according to the “Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapy.” This higher rise in blood sugar was apparent at a range of timepoints from immediately after consumption up to 240 minutes after consumption of sucrose or honey.

Another consideration when looking at the impact of honey or refined sugar on blood sugar levels is the relative sweetness of the two. Because honey is sweeter than refined table sugar, less is required to sweeten food or drinks to the same level. Ingesting less sweetener is another way to keep blood sugar levels under control, since the rise in blood glucose is higher when more carbohydrate is consumed.  

When choosing between honey and refined sugar, there are other considerations in addition to the impact on blood sugar control. Honey contains antioxidants and enzymes that aren’t present in refined sugar. According to research presented at the First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health in 2008, honey may be beneficial for immune function and might help reduce cortisol levels, a key indicator of stress in the body.”

So, I choose honey whenever I can as a sweetener.   And an Oreo in moments of weakness…but I digress…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the popsicles:  I figured if I could mix those 3 simple ingredients together for a yummy yogurt, I could probably follow the same recipe for a fresh fruit and yogurt popsicle!    I am not a “create your own recipe”, “live for cooking” kind of person.  This was a fluke.  But, it’s been a good fluke!  :o)  Here’s the recipe:

 

Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Pops

2 Cups of Plain Yogurt

2 Cups of Fruit – Your choice! (we’ve tried many combinations:  Kiwi/Strawberry, just Strawberry, Blueberry, and hope to try Bananas soon!)

3-4 Tbsp. of Honey (It’s a popsicle, so I like it a little sweeter!)

Blend ingredients in a blender together until desired consistency (we like ours smooth, but some may like bigger fruit chunks in theirs).  Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

Voila!  Super easy – fairly healthy – and a great cooking project to do with your kids!

I’m off to savor the rest of the summer – think we’ll go for a long, summer evening walk and let Boo ride her trike!

terra Uncategorized