Smoothies are easy and nutritious. For those hot summer days, these breakfast frozen smoothie popsicles are a real treat!
It could be the dead of winter, but my kids are always ready for ice cream and popsicles. I don’t get it. It’s definitely not just a kid-thing. It’s also my husband’s thing, too, who happens to be a giant kid, disguised as a 50-something man.
My kids also adore smoothies. They help me boost my family’s immune system and battle the colds and sniffles we suffer through during the cootie-filled-months.
But, when the temperature goes up, the our berry smoothies turn into berry smoothie popsicles. The same great benefits in a deliciously cold package.
Best fruits for smoothies
It’s not rocket science. It’s not like this hasn’t been done before. Feel free to use any combination of fruits and veggies you want in your smoothie popsicles. Just remember, if you add a lot of greens to a berry smoothie, you tend to get a gray looking smoothie.
For the question of fresh or frozen, I prefer to use frozen fruits when it comes to making smoothies. This way I do not have to add ice like you do with fresh fruit. I have a large variety of frozen fruits in my freezer. Some of my favorite fruits include:
- strawberries
- raspberries
- blueberries
- cherries
- peaches
- mango
- pineapple
I usually use fresh bananas, because I always have bananas in my house. But I also keep a stock of frozen bananas in the freezer for baking whole wheat banana bread. I sometimes use my frozen bananas when I do not have fresh ones available.
Frozen fruits are also more economical than fresh, which makes them a great option if you have a limited budget. For fresh fruits, you can add any of the fruits listed above in the frozen list, as well as:
- kiwi
- grapes
- papaya
- apples
- pears
- nectarines
You are no way limited to just fruits either. You can add vegetables to your smoothie as well. I suggest mixing both for better flavor. Some vegetable options include:
- spinach, fresh or frozen
- kale, fresh or frozen
- chard, fresh or frozen
- carrots (raw or cooked)
- ginger root
- zucchini
- cucumber
- cooked beets
- cooked squash or pumpkin
- cooked sweet potato
- avocado
Best base for smoothies
My family does not have any food allergies, so the base of our berry smoothie is usually regular milk. I have also used yogurt mixed in with a little water to thin it out. You are definitely not limited to these choices.
Some great options for your smoothie base includes:
- milk
- yogurt
- water
- coconut water/milk
- almond milk
- rice milk
- soy milk
- juice
What else can I add to my smoothie?
You can add even more things to your smoothie besides a liquid and fruits/vegetables. You can add more protein in the form of protein powder. Or you can add sweetness with honey.
You can also add immune boosting vitamins and nutrients to keep yourself and your family healthy. Here are some things I like to add to our smoothies:
- wheat bran, rich in fiber and probiotics
- flax meal, rich in fiber, protein and omega-3 fats
- protein powder, plain or flavored
- honey
- royal jelly, rich in antioxidants
- nuts
- seeds
- dried fruits
- maple syrup
- cocoa powder
- spices
Basic smoothie ratio
So now you have all the components to make your favorite smoothie, even if it is a simple strawberry smoothie! With these basic smoothie ratios, you can easily customize the flavors to fit you and your family’s preferences.
For a thick smoothie:
3 parts frozen fruit
2 parts liquid
1-2 TBS add ins
If this is too thick for your taste, use equal parts liquid and frozen fruit.
How to make smoothie popsicles
For popsicles, either ratios work fine as the entire mixture will be frozen solid. You can make the popsicles in inexpensive mini disposable cups or in fancy popsicle molds. I have done both options, and they both work well.
It’s just a preference of how you want your popsicles to look. Honestly, the kids don’t care. They think it’s a delicious popsicle they are enjoying.
And you can secretly smile, knowing it’s healthy AND fun.
Stay cool everyone!
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Frozen Smoothie Popsicles
Smoothies are easy and nutritious. For those hot summer days, these breakfast frozen smoothie popsicles are a real treat!
Ingredients
- 2 cup milk
- 1 ripe banana, peeled
- ยฝ lb fresh assorted berries
- 2 TBS protein powder
- 1 TBS wheat bran
- 1 TBS flax meal
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Divide evenly into popsicle molds, above pictured using 5-oz paper cups.
- Place a wooden popsicle stick in the center of each cup and freeze until solid, 4-6 hours. If the popsicle stick won't stand up straight prior to freezing, place popsicles in the freezer for 30 minutes, then add the stick and continue freezing until done.
- If you're not going to eat the popsicles within 24 hours, put popsicles in a plastic freezer bag. Popsicles will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
You can use any of your favorite fruits and vitamins to customize your smoothie to your taste. My family loves strawberries, peaches, mango, raspberries and banana.
For added nutrition, add some spinach. You can also keep the green tops of the strawberries on or off.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
5Amount Per Serving: Calories: 70Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 37mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
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I love these! My kids are big, but they still want treats…and hey, so do I ๐
here is an award for you please accept it
regards Akheela
These look delicious. It never occurred to me to freeze a smoothie. I may have to go for it. ๐
That is awesome! I would happily enjoy one of those any time of the day!
What a great idea! I could totally eat these on my way to work.
A popsicle for breakfast is so fun!! And it cuts back on time in the morning to get out the door too.
delicious treats looks wonderful
Terrific! Sneak the nutrition in where you can – YOU are one smart cookie!
I think that I could feed these to the boyfriend without him realizing that he's eating something healthy! They look great ๐
Might not be rocket science but I've never thought of it! What a great breakfast or snack — I'm wondering how it would be it you put granola or nuts in the bottom of the mold… like a "good for you" drumstick?
Thanks, Laura!
I let my kids have it sometimes after breakfast and they just can't believe it!
I love how you say that kids will love these–I'm in my 30s, and I would definitely do a happy dance the morning I found these in my freezer! ๐
My kids would go beserk to have popsicles for breakfast, even if it really was just smoothie in solid form. I need to get crackin' on this!