Ice Pop Joy

Recently, I came across a book online, and used some Swagbucks to pick it up.  (For those wondering, I’ve got $130 of Amazon gift cards by using Swagbucks as my search engine for the last 11 months.)  The book is called Ice Pop Joy.
It was reviewed that the recipes in here were delicious, and it was a great way to get her kids to eat healthy, especially with summer in our midst.  I’m not a super health food person, traditionally speaking.  I generally don’t buy anything that says “diet,” low-fat” etc.  Mostly because I see those things as fake food, and I really, really like real food.  I like food that gets down to basic ingredients, and very simple. This book seemed to fit the bill.  Frozen treats made from real basic food.

Knut was a little worried when he read about the author.  I think she would proudly wear the badge as hippie, so I don’t think it would be an insult to call her that.  Her kids’ names of “Lotus Sunshine” and “River Love” kind of give her away right there.  I have to admit, her recommendations for getting kids into healthy foods are right on target, though, so she’s a friend in my book.

The kids were so excited the day it came that they spent the whole afternoon going through recipes.  Silje made a shopping list, and David insisted that she read each and every recipe to him.  So during our next trip to town, we picked up some popsicle molds and fresh fruit.  (I did not get the BPA free molds that this lady recommended.  We got whatever was cheap at Walmart.)

We started out using one of the most intimidating recipes in the book: “The Green Machine.”  In it is pineapple, banana, water, spinach, and flax seed.  I know…I lost you all at spinach.  It was such a small ingredient compared to the rest, though, and basically only colored the things.  The flax seed wasn’t tasted at all either.  In fact, all it really tasted like was banana.  The banana flavor was terribly overpowering, but the kids still liked it.  Well, they didn’t like the amount I gave them.  The recipe filled 2 sets of molds…both a large and small one, and then some for smoothies.  I gave the kids the large mold pops and they had trouble finishing them, but they quickly asked for the smaller shaped molds for snack time the very next day.

During our last road trip we got the kids some classic cartoons which included Popeye.  David has really been into Popeye ever since, and insists on having spinach quite often.  In fact, both Silje and David are really into knowing what food they are eating, and wanting it to be healthy.  I’m not sure where they get it, because I certainly don’t like healthy things all the time, but I have every intention of riding this health kick of theirs as long as it will run.

However, they do not realize that not everyone gets as excited about healthy foods as they do.  We brought some green machine pops over to Knut’s parents as an added dessert for the kids, and David excitedly told his cousins that we brought ice pops.  Everyone was excited.  Attempting to ride the enthusiasm, David and Silje couldn’t wait to tell everyone that we brought ice pops with spinach in them.  Not too surprisingly, no one ate them but my kids…and Knut’s sister was a good sport and tried one.

Our second recipe that we tried was “Blackberry Swirl” which is a bit more tame with yogurt, blackberries, and again, banana.  Since we all didn’t like how overwhelming the banana flavor was in the other pop, I cut what she recommended for this ingredient in half, but I still think it doesn’t need it.  The kids really liked them, but Silje didn’t like the seeds.  Ironic, because she snacked on all of the leftover blackberries without complaint, but didn’t like the seeds in the ice pops.

What I like about this book is how eager the kids are to try out every single recipe.  They love shopping for fresh ingredients, making it together, and trying out new combinations that they have never tried before.  They have ideas for improving recipes, and have even started pulling other cook books from the house and wondering if we can try some of them.

Silje brought me a recipe for supper that she wanted to try from one of her kid cookbooks.  Although it had onions and water chestnuts in it, which are 2 things I know she doesn’t like, I didn’t say a word.  I didn’t have to.  She said that she thinks that maybe since it’s a different combination than what she’s used to, maybe she would like it the way the particular cook book she was looking at had it.

Through the whole Popeye introduction a few months back, David, who hates leafy greens, discovered he likes spinach.  He couldn’t believe that he used to hate it, and now he loves it.  I don’t know where on earth this came from in my head, but as he was talking to me about this, I told him that his tastes can change as often as his shoe size.  Since he recently got new sandals in a size larger, he seems to think he should try all the foods he doesn’t like again, just in case.  He’s discovered new foods and says “I didn’t like this when I had a size 10 foot, but now I do.”

So this summer, I guess we’ll be working through this book of healthy treats.  As my kids pour over these recipes with no sugar and all organic farm fresh goodness, I just have another reason to keep my Oreos to myself until after they go to bed.  I mean, really…whose kids are these?