Cherry Vanilla Popsicles

Summer Summer Summer.

I really am trying to soak it all in. Windows open all the time, a hint of salt in the air. The morning and evening light. The heat of the day and the cool night air. Trips to our community garden plot before the sun gets too high when we marvel at how much the plants have grown in just a few days. Salads that taste better than anything we eat in the winter. Lying in grass in the shade enjoying the cool breezes. Amos' constant in and out, digging holes in the front yard and making mud puddles. He rings the doorbell and leaves mud on the floor. Trips to the beach for wading in the water, watching snails, more digging in the sand. Sandy feet and sandy floors. Letting go of the clutter and things undone, reminding myself that it's just summer taking over, or the new baby in the house. Berries and cherries as much as we can. Popsicles on the porch almost every afternoon. Sticky fingers and faces.

I make most of our popsicles by throwing any fruit into a jar with yogurt or coconut milk and whirring it with the immersion blender until it can be poured into the mold. I was inspired, though, by the many great recipes in Icy Creamy Healthy Sweet, Christine Chitnis' beautiful book of frozen treats, all of which can be made free of dairy or refined sugar. Cherries are a sweet treat in themselves, but I used her recipe for a simple cherry compote and then went off book, swirling them with yogurt and vanilla. I sometimes question Amos' popsicle a day routine, but then I decide that fruit and yogurt with a touch of honey is as good a snack as any.

Sweet, cold, melty, sticky, summer summer summer.

Cherry Vanilla Popsicles
Inspired by Icy Creamy Healthy Sweet by Christine Chitnis
You can, and should adjust the amount of honey and vanilla to your taste

2 cups pitted fresh sweet cherries, cut in half
2 teaspoons honey
2 cups plain yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine the cherries and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let it cook for a minute or so. Remove from heat and let the cherry compote cool. 

Mix the yogurt and vanilla together. When the cherry compote is cool, swirl it into the vanilla yogurt. Pour into your popsicle mold and freeze.

Makes 8 large popsicles.

Popsicles!

Summer is never going to end, right?

The reason I ask is that I finally bought a popsicle mold. At the end of July.

After I made my first batch, I was entertaining ideas of starting a popsicle stand -- not the kind you find yourself leaving from time to time, but one that sells popsicles with interesting and refreshing flavors. But I've given up on making popsicles full time and settled, enthusiastically, for making as many kinds of popsicles as I can for as long as summer lasts.

Any kind of smoothie can be turned into a good popsicle -- green, berry-full, banana peanut butter. Adding yogurt or coconut milk makes them nice and creamy. Amos calls them poxibles and eats them sitting on our porch dripping here and there. 

Fudgecicles are fun. Experimental blueberry, beet, coconut milk pops not bad. My favorites so far started with a banana coconut milk ice cream base that, instead of churning, I poured into the molds. They needed no embellishment, but I couldn't resist coating some of them in chocolate for an extra special treat.

There are so many popsicle possibilities so I am sharing this as inspiration. Whether or not you enjoy frozen treats, I hope you are savoring whatever makes your summer sweet.