Homemade Bomb Pops - Happy, Healthy July 4th

Remember those red, white and blue Bomb Pops you used to eat as a kid? I bet you never looked at the ingredient list. And I bet—now that you're all grown up—you don't want your kids consuming the numerous sugars/syrups, gums, and artificial colors and flavors in the packaged pops.

So, I decided to make a homemade version featuring actual fruit, juice, and even a touch of greens. Does it taste the same as the pop you buy from the ice cream truck? Nope. Will you feel good about giving these to your kids? Hell yeah.

I should note that my ingredient list is just a foundation for you to build on: feel free to make them sweeter or icier by adding more juice, creamier by tossing in some banana or yogurt, etc. Play around with them till you find the bomb pop that's right for your family!

Ingredients:

yield: 6 pops, using this mold. I didn't use the sticks that came with my mold, opting instead for craft sticks (for authenticity!).

• 1 1/2c strawberries
• 1oz + 1oz 100% fruit juice (I used cranberry-raspberry)
• 1/4c + 1/4c frozen chopped kale
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 c chopped pineapple
• 1-2oz light coconut milk
• 1 1/2c blueberries

Put the strawberries, about 1 ounce of juice and 1/4 cup kale into a blender (I actually just used a hand blender). 

Blend until smooth and pourable; if it's too thick, just add a bit more juice. Pour into your molds, filling about 1/3 of the way. Freeze for about 30 minutes, or until it is frozen but not solid (you'll need to be able to push the tip of the pop sticks into it). 

While you're waiting for the red layer to freeze, rinse out your blender well. Then add the banana, pineapple and coconut milk and blend until smooth.

Push the tip of each stick into the red layer. Carefully pour the white layer on top, filling about another 1/3 of your mold.

Again, put in the freezer so that the white layer has a chance to freeze. Then rinse out your blender again before adding your blueberries, juice and kale. Blend until smooth.

Once the white layer is sufficiently frozen, pour in the blue layer and freeze.

The blue is really more of a purple....but that's what happens when you use something from nature instead of from a laboratory.

Happy July 4th to everyone in Full Belly Sisters Land!