It is almost full-on summertime and it is hot outside!

One of my family’s favorite ways to keep cool during the summer heat is to sip on cool smoothies made with fresh, seasonal fruit and freezing those smoothies into popsicles. I love using whole, fresh fruit (whatever is in season at the farmstands!) to make our smoothies and popsicles, as it keeps all the goodness and fiber from the fruit intact, while allowing you, the parent, to sweeten to your family’s taste. We prefer just a bit of honey to make these sweet treats a hit.

Not only are these recipes tasty, but they are also a great way to use up lots of fresh fruit before it goes bad.

So get out your blenders and your popsicle molds and enjoy that summertime fruit!

Peach Melba Smoothie

4 cups fresh or frozen peaches, sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
a teaspoon or two of honey, to taste

Combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until combined, then continue to blend for about 1 minute more until smooth. If you use all fresh, room temperature fruit, I recommend throwing in a few ice cubes to keep it cold. If you use frozen fruit, no ice cubes are necessary.

Mixed Berry “Green” Smoothie Pop

4 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are our favorite blend)
2 cups fresh baby spinach, packed, or 1 cup frozen, steamed spinach
2 cups plain yogurt
a teaspoon or two of honey to taste

Place yogurt at the base of the blender, followed by spinach then berries and honey. Blend until all ingredients are incorporated, adding a little extra yogurt or milk to help it along, then blend for about 1 minute longer until quite smooth.

The color from the dark berries should both mask the color and flavor of the spinach. My kids love these and never know the difference! Make sure to use baby spinach or frozen spinach only; the larger, older leaves of fresh spinach will impart a stronger flavor.

Strawberry Limeades

4 cups fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
Juice and zest of two limes
Juice of one orange
Ice (about 2 cups)

Place ingredients in blender in order stated above, strawberries first, then juice, then ice on top. Blend until all ingredients are incorporated, adding in a teaspoon or two of honey to sweeten to taste. Blend for about 1 minute longer until quite smooth.

To make a mock strawberry daiquiri, add in one cup of coconut milk.

For all of these recipes, either drink as a smoothie through a fun straw, or pour into popsicle molds and freeze for a sweet, cold treat. The Peach Melba and Strawberry Limeade recipes are also fantastic as a spritzer, mixed with sparkling water or sparkling wine and served with ice.

Each recipe makes between four to six servings as a beverage, and more depending on the size of your popsicle mold.

Smoothies and whole fruit popsicles are icy cold and sweet, whenever the temperature rises. Perfect for children, as well as adults you can indulge in these sweet treats while getting your daily fruit allotment and enjoying the season’s bounty!

Enjoy!

Originally written for and published by Momaha.com on June 8, 2010