Healthy Homemade Popscicles

SHAPE magazine
People's Pops
People's Pops

Picture one of your favorite desserts from childhood….but updated for grown-ups and healthy to boot. Cool, right? That's why the all-natural handmade treats at the People's Pops shops in New York City-featuring locally sourced fruits and herbs-are all the rage. Now, straight form the company's new cookbook ($12; amazon.com), come recipes for freezing some fat-free creations of your own.

If you love the two healthy homemade popsicle recipes below be sure to pick up a copy of the June issue for the tangy and tasty blackberry, yogurt , and honey pops recipe (it's the pretty purple one featured top left)

Peach and Bourbon Pops
Makes 10 2.5-ounce pops

Preheat oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine ⅔ cup cane sugar and ⅔ cup water and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Stir until sugar dissolves, then remove simple syrup from heat and let cool.


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Cut 4 to 5 peaches (about 1¼ pound) in half lengthwise. Place peaches cut side down on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until the skins and flesh have softened. Remove from oven and let cool, then remove and discard the pits.

Add peaches to a food processor and purée until almost smooth, leaving some chunky pieces. Transfer to a bowl and mix in ¾ cup simple syrup, ⅓ cup bourbon, and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; stir until well incorporated.

Funnel the mixture into ice pop molds, leaving a little bit of room at the top (about ¼ inch) for the mixture to expand. Insert sticks and freeze for 4 to 5 hours or until solid. Unmold and serve, or transfer to plastic bags for storage.

Nutrition score per ice pop: 79 calories, 0g fat

Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar Pops
Makes 10 2.5-ounce pops

In a small saucepan, combine ⅔ cup cane sugar and ⅔ cup water and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Stir until sugar dissolves, then remove simple syrup from heat and let cool.

Purée 4 cups (about 1 pound) fresh strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and combine with ¾ cup simple syrup, and 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice . Slowly pour in ¼ cup balsamic vinegar while you continue to stir. Taste and add more if desired.


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Funnel the mixture into ice pop molds, leaving a little bit of room at the top (about ¼ inch) for the mixture to expand. Insert sticks and freeze for 4 to 5 hours or until solid. Unmold and serve, or transfer to plastic bags for storage.

Nutrition score per ice pop: 58 calories, 0g fat

Recipes adapted with permission from People's Pops: 55 Recipes for Ice Pops, Shave Ice, and Boozy Pops from Brooklyn's Coolest Pop Shop. Copyright 2012 By Nathalie Jordi, David Carrell, and Joel Horowitz. Published By Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, Ca.

What are your go-to cool summer treats? Frozen yogurt, a portion controlled ice cream sandwich, or a cool, creamy smoothie? Tell us in the comments below!


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