If you’ve been reading our blog for any length of time, you might know that we are a Popsicle-lovin’ family! Our blog is full of healthy & delicious Popsicle recipes that we enjoy all summer long – and I know many of you do too. (My Mint Chip Popsicle is “award winning” – read the comments 🙂 ).

Each summer we travel to Long Beach Island, NJ for two weeks of sun and sand with my family. And every trip, we pack the popsicle molds right along with our bathing suits!

This summer, I asked my family what new Popsicle flavor I should aspire to create. Pina Colada was the unanimous winner!

Now, in our family we find it entertaining when we can combine two words together successfully to make a clever name for something. For example, I told my daughter that I was making her an “in-quesadilla” for the airplane – a quesadilla just in case she ate her lunch and then was still hungry.

So you can imagine that I thought it was fantastic when Roy suggested that we call my new creation a Pina Col-Otter Pop!

Then I thought about it for a moment – and pictured the Otter Pops that the kids love and how they are filled with fluorescent food coloring – and decided that my new pops would be healthy & refreshing Otter Pops! (I always called them Push Pops but my kids call them Otter Pops – what do you call them?)

So, a quick hop on Amazon and our push pop bags and supplies were ordered! The Pina Col-Otter Pops were a smashing success! Then I spent two days when we got home coming up with recipes for a variety of flavors that the kids and their friends were sure to enjoy! My extra freezer was filled with these pops, and as I watched the pile diminish over the weeks, I loved knowing that they were enjoying a cooling and refreshing summer treat that is healthy and nourishing for them!

One last thing. (Who knew I had so much to say about pops?!) Our order came with two Neoprene Popsicle Sleeves and I never thought we’d use them. Quite the opposite – we love them and needed more. My daughter jokingly named them “wimp sleeves” because those pops sure are cold in your hand without them!

Please let me know if you try any of my first seven creations (I am sure to create more!). Or please leave your recipe in the comments below if you come up with a delicious Push Pop creation yourself!

Each recipe below will make 4-6 Push Pops

Smoothie Pops

Pina Colada
1 cup of full fat coconut milk
2 ½ – 3 cups fresh or frozen pineapple
2 Tbsp. raw honey

Acai
2 Acai packets
1 small ripe banana
½ cup frozen strawberries
½ cup frozen blueberries
½ cup coconut water
2 Tbsp. raw honey

Peaches & Cream
1 cup of full fat coconut milk
2 ½ – 3 cups fresh or frozen peaches
2 Tbsp. raw honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method for all Smoothie Push Pops:

1. In a vitamix or other high powered blender, combine all the ingredients and process until smooth. Taste the smoothie blend and adjust the sweetness as needed. The more seasonal, ripe, and sweet the fruit is, the better the flavor will naturally be!
2. Using a funnel or measuring cup with a spout, fill the push pop bags to ½” below the ziplock seal.
3. Place in the freezer until set.

Slushy Pops

Limonade
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
16 oz white grape juice
3 Tbsp agave nectar

Orange
2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice

Watermelon
4-5 cups of watermelon, pureed to yield 2 cups watermelon juice

Grape
3 cups fresh grapes, blended with
½ cup white grape juice

Method for all Slushy Push Pops:

1. Taste the slushy blend and adjust the sweetness as needed. The more seasonal, ripe, and sweet the fruit is, the better the flavor will naturally be!
2. Using a funnel or measuring cup with a spout, fill the push pop bags to ½” below the ziplock seal.
3. Place in the freezer until set.