Holy guacamole, is it hot here, guys! I’ve lived here in the Midwest my entire life, and I’m still never quite prepared for the heat and humidity that shows up every summer. But even heat indices in the triple digits don’t stop me from heading outside and spending time in the garden, working outside, or just reading on the porch under the fans. Daily outdoor time is vital to my health (Mama needs her Vitamin D!) and my sanity, and beyond that, I believe life is just too darn short to let some pesky humidity trap you inside for months on end! So I strap on a sundress, put on my big floppy hat, and try to actively enjoy the hot weather. Not just endure it. Not just ride it out—actually fill my heart with gratitude for the hot and humid weather.
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It’s not always easy (like when I’ve sweat through my third outfit of the day), but approaching life’s little annoyances with gratitude can be so incredibly rewarding. One method I use to find gratitude for the heat is to think of all the things I enjoy that I wouldn’t be doing if it was January. Like going to the beach with my kid. Or harvesting fresh basil from my garden for a salad. Or making cool and healthy treats like these frozen fruit pops! The hot weather doesn’t seem so bad with a cool fruit pop in hand. Another thing that fills me with gratitude for our warm weather? Local produce out the wazoo! Our garden is producing overtime (anyone want some zucchini?) and what I can’t pick fresh in my backyard, I just head to my local Meijer store to pick up. Meijer focuses on stocking their produce section with local Midwestern produce first. The folks at Meijer are passionate about uplifting small family farms here in the Midwest—and you can see evidence of it when you walk into the produce section in the summertime.
In these healthy frozen fruit pops, I focused on using locally-grown produce from right here in the Midwest that I picked up at my local Meijer store. I hope one of these flavors helps you find the gratitude in the dog days of summer! Enjoy.
Blueberry Lemonade Frozen Fruit Pop
Using fresh Michigan blueberries from Meijer, lots of fresh lemon juice and zest, and just a hint of honey to add sweetness, these tart and fruity popsicles are refreshing on even the hottest Midwestern summer afternoon.
Blueberry Lemonade Frozen Fruit Pops
These Blueberry Lemonade Frozen Fruit Pops are for the sweet-tart lovers, and will keep you cool in the hottest part of summer.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, plus extra for garnish (Michigan blueberries ideal)
- Juice and zest of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup juice and 1 tablespoon zest)
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 1/2 cup water
- Ice pop molds and sticks
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a wide-mouth jar.
- Using an immersion blender, blend until the mixture is very smooth.
- Pour mixture into ice pop molds. Drop in extra whole blueberries for garnish, if desired. Freeze on a flat surface for an hour, remove, add in the ice pop sticks, then return to freezer. Freeze for an additional 2-3 hours, or until frozen solid.
Notes
- Because of the small volume of the fruit pop mixture, it's best to use an immersion blender here instead of your big blender or a food processor.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 fruit pops Serving Size: 1 fruit popAmount Per Serving: Calories: 108Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 40mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 1g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
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