Goodbye summer, hello sunshine! Here in San Francisco, we experience some of our sunniest weather in the fall. So I've taken one of my favorite smoothie recipes and turned it into a popsicle! And let me say the result is joyous! Simple ingredients, pantry friendly, and whips up in 10 minutes (minus freezing time). You need Just a few ingredients (nearly all are pantry or freezer friendly), a blender, and some popsicle molds and you're set!
If I had to pick a single meal that started my journey to feeling better, learning how to craft a great smoothie was it! Since then, I've witnessed clients and followers who have noticed profound changes in energy, pain, mood, and more all with a simple smoothie. Why? A well crafted smoothie can pack a lot of nutrition into one simple meal. They can be made ahead with ingredients in your pantry, freezer and fridge, and you can tailor each recipe to your own unique cravings. Make them ahead and refrigerate or freeze for added convenience.
With this simple hack, your morning smoothie becomes a decadent popsicle in just hours. What I love about this most, possibly, is that it takes one of my favorite meals, which I usually gulp down in less than a minute (they are just so delicious and satisfying), into a meal that I can savor longer, which helps with digestion, satiety and more. The benefits of slowing down your meals are well studied, beginning with the fact that by chewing your food more, you produce more digestive enzymes (amylase) to help aid the long digestive journey.
Start your day with a smoothie pop, enjoy as an afternoon "treat," and see how your energy level changes. What've you got to lose?
You'll need just two pieces of equipment:
Popsicle molds (I like THESE ones)
Ingredients needed (all ingredients except the extract can be frozen):
cashews (or cashew butter)
banana
kale
dates
fresh mint
mint extract (or essential oil)
hemp seeds
ground flaxmeal
spirulina
A meal with purpose...like a nutritional supplement on a stick. Every ingredient here has purpose while also helping to create a delicious treat:
cashews: ~5 grams of protein per serving plus healthy fats and micronutrients,
banana: best appreciated for potassium content, complex carbohydrates, fiber and micronutrients,
kale: vitamin and mineral-rich (one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet),
flax meal: protein (omega 3 fatty acids), fiber, healthy fat and antioxidants,
hemp seeds: protein (omega 3 fatty acids), fiber, and even chlorophyll,
dates: fiber, complex carbohydrate, mineral-dense,
spirulina: protein (highest protein content of nearly any food), vitamin and mineral-dense,
mint: best appreciated for vitamin A content, also can calm the stomach,
cacao: antioxidant-rich (one of the best on the planet) including magnesium, natural mood-booster.
So let's do this...just throw everything in the blender (save the cacao nibs though unless you prefer a ground "chip") and blend until smooth...
Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie Pops
(Makes 6 popsicles)
Ingredients:
· ½ cup raw cashews, soaked (sub 3 TB cashew butter)
· 1- 1 ½ cups filtered water
· 1 cup organic kale, preferably frozen
· ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, stems removed and washed
· 1 frozen banana
· 1 TB hemp seeds (or sub additional 1 TB ground flaxmeal)
· 1 TB ground flaxmeal (or sub additional 1 TB hemp seeds)
· ¼ tsp spirulina
· ½ tsp vanilla extract
· ¼ tsp peppermint extract, (or sub 1-2 drops peppermint essential oil)
· 2 Medjool dates, pitted
· 2 TB cacao nibs, plus more for topping if desired
· Optional toppings: extra cacao nibs, fresh mint leaves, shredded coconut
Directions:
Soak the cashews in water for 2-4 hours, or quick soak them in hot (not boiling) water for 15 minutes). Drain and rinse well. If using cashew butter, skip this step.
Add cashews (or cashew butter) and the water, along with all remaining ingredients except cacao nibs to a high-speed blender and mix until smooth. Stir in cacao nibs.
Pour into popsicle molds and sprinkle extra cacao nibs on the top (will be the bottom). Place in freezer and allow to freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Your smoothie pops are best enjoyed within a month but will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
When ready to enjoy simply rinse the mold briefly under cold water and pull out the stick. Replace the remaining pops back in the freezer.
Pour into our favorite popsicle molds, top with extra nibs if desired for a fancy effect...
All ready for the freezer...
When you pull them out of the freezer, you'll want to give the outside of the mold a quick rinse under water to loosen them. And Voila!
Enjoy!
Note: wooden sticks can be washed and reused.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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