Healthier sweet treats for summer

Most summer treats like ice cream can be full of sugar and fat and while it’s fine to have these occasionally, it’s good to have some healthier treats up your sleeve.  Read on for some easy inspiration and our instant chocolate ‘ice cream’ recipe.

It’s usually healthier and cheaper to make your own….

Banana chocolate pops

Halve 4 bananas and push a lollipop stick or teaspoon handle into the cut end of each half.  Dip in melted chocolate and place on greaseproof paper in the freezer for 20 minutes or longer to harden.  This recipe is also great with peeled and halved kiwi fruit or pineapple slices

Strawberry dipped chocolates

Melt some dark chocolate and dip perfectly ripe strawberries in, using the stalk to hold the strawberries.  Place on a plate lined with greaseproof paper in the fridge to harden before serving, or place the melted chocolate and strawberries on the table and allow guests to make their own treats!

BBQ pineapple or peaches

If you are having a BBQ, try grilling pineapple slices or halved peaches and serving with a good quality vanilla ice cream.  Just remember to clean the grill first!

Watermelon slushie

Blend one ¼ of a ripe watermelon with a little fresh mint and 2 tbsp lime juice.  Place in the freezer in a Tupperware container.  Remove after 30 minutes and fork through the watermelon to break up. Return to the freezer and repeat this step again 3 or 4 times until the mixture resembles a slushie.  Or for a lower labour version, freeze watermelon chunks and blitz in a good blender with the mint and lime juice, serve immediately.

Ice pop moulds

Ice pop moulds are readily available to buy in places like Tiger and Dunnes Stores and a great way to get more fruit into yourself or your kids.  You can just blend whatever fruit you have available to make a fruit puree, pour into the moulds and freeze.  This is also a great way to use up fruit in the fruit bowl that is looking a bit wrinkled.  Just chop up (skin on), cook briefly with a splash of water, blend and freeze.  Some ideas

• Fruit puree made with plums, apples, peaches or any left-over fruit.
• Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries – mash the berries with a fork, adding a couple of spoons of yoghurt and a squirt of honey or maple syrup if necessary
• Natural / coconut yoghurt with passion fruit / raspberry – mash together some yoghurt with some passion fruit, raspberries or both

These are all great for adults and kids alike and a great way to encourage kids into the kitchen over the summer.

Have you tried instant chocolate ‘icecream’?

One of our favourites is our instant banana chocolate icecream, that tastes great and is made from just two ingredients.  It’s also vegan and free from added sugar.

Ingredients:

2 bananas, cut into slices and frozen

1 tbsp cacao powder

Directions:

• Place the frozen banana slices and cacao in a food processor and blitz until a creamy chocolate ‘icecream’ appears. This will take 10 seconds in a vitamix or similar and a minute or two in a food processor. You will need to stop the machine a couple of times to scrape it down
• Stir through or top with roasted chopped hazelnuts or dark chocolate chips for an even tastier version