With Labor Day signaling the end of summer, it’s time to put all our white apparel back into storage. Good thing, too, ‘cause I have a hard time convincing my boys that mommy’s white clothes shouldn’t be used to wipe their hands and mouths.
But before the hot weather gives way to the crisp, cool autumn, what do you say about indulging in one more frozen treat?
These ice pops are named after one of my favorite tropical frozen drinks: the Lava Flow—a frosty piña colada topped off with strawberry purée. Come to think of it, these popsicles are more like Virgin Lava Flows, given that I’ve omitted the rum; in fact, my version’s just made with fruit and coconut milk—perfect for those of you who want to avoid any added sweeteners. Of course, if your fruit’s not quite in tip-top shape or if you prefer your desserts a tad sweeter, feel free to add some honey.
Here’s what you need to make approximately 8 ice pops (about 3 cups of frozen yumminess)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries (143 grams or ⅓ pound)
- 1½ cup (225 grams or ½ pound) fresh or frozen diced pineapple
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 ripe fresh or frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
Here’s how you make ’em:
Blitz the strawberries in a blender, and transfer the purée to a measuring cup.
Rinse the blender, and throw in the pineapple, coconut milk, and banana. (Add the honey, too, if you’re using it.)
Blitz until smooth.
(If you’re using frozen fruit, you’ll end up with a virgin piña colada!)
Grab some popsicle molds and pour in a little of the strawberry purée into the bottom of each mold.
Add the piña colada mixture until it reaches ⅔ of the way to the top.
Add a little more strawberry purée to each mold, and then top off with the piña colada mixture.
Gently insert the popsicle sticks and put the filled molds in the freezer. Chill for 4 to 6 hours or until solid.
When the ice pops are frozen solid…
…quickly run them under hot water to loosen them from the molds.
Voila!
If you’re the impatient type and can’t wait for your pops to solidify in the freezer, you may want to consider getting a ZOKU Quick Ice Pop maker. The nice folks at ZOKU offered to let me try this super-cool gadget, and I was amazed to see that it does exactly what it says: It freezes your pops in less than 10 minutes!
You just insert the sticks and pour in your favorite ice pop mixture. Then, presto!—DESSERT ON A STICK.
As long as you remember to keep the ZOKU unit in the freezer, you can make up to nine ice pops before you need to return it to the ice box.
I don’t know who was more excited to get popsicles on demand: me, or my kiddos.
No matter how you make ’em, these Lava Flow Ice Pops are a wonderful way to finish off the summer.
Just be careful not to drip any on your white linen pants.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Lava Flow Ice Pops
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries 143 grams or ⅓ pound
- 1½ cup 225 grams or ½ pound fresh or frozen diced pineapple
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 ripe fresh or frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
Instructions
- Blitz the strawberries in a blender, and transfer the purée to a measuring cup.
- Rinse the blender, and throw in the pineapple, coconut milk, and banana. (Add the honey, too, if you’re using it.) Blitz until smooth.
- Grab some popsicle molds and pour in a little of the strawberry purée into the bottom of each mold. Add the piña colada mixture until it reaches ⅔ of the way to the top. Add a little more strawberry purée to each mold, and then top off with the piña colada mixture.
- Gently insert the popsicle sticks and put the filled molds in the freezer. Chill for 4 to 6 hours or until solid.
- When the ice pops are frozen solid, quickly run them under hot water to loosen them from the molds. Devour immediately!
