Quick and easy ice lollies

It doesn’t matter how old you are, ice lollies bring about a sense of excitement. Warm weather, the seaside, fish and chips, family time. The merry tune of the ice cream van driving around still sparks joy, and fuels the urge to run down the road barefoot waving your pocket money.

Here in the UK, we may not always have the warmest summer, but we still want to make the most of the sunny days. So why not get creative by making your own?

Ice lollies are simple to make and lend well to tweaking the recipe to your own taste. These lollies are perfect for those days lazing in the garden, or even as a fun addition to a BBQ. But be quick, we can’t imagine they’ll last long! Here are four of our favourite recipes to try, which are not only cost-friendly but absolutely delicious. Plus, they’ll provide a whole bunch of essential nutrients.

Mango and lime lollies

Makes 8 lollies

Ingredients

• 2 mangoes, cubed
• zest of 1 lime
• 2 limes, juiced
• 80ml coconut milk (you can use light coconut milk if you wish)

Into a blender or food processor, add the mango, lime juice, lime zest and coconut milk. Combine until smooth. Pour into ice lolly moulds and freeze for at least 6 hours, or leave overnight. When ready to serve, run the moulds under warm water for a few seconds to release.

Nutrition coach, Susan Hart, says, “Sweet and juicy mangoes are high in fibre and vitamin B6 and are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. The fibre will help to keep you fuller for longer, and the vitamins are great antioxidants that help to mop up those free radicals. Using coconut milk (from a can) not only delivers a great taste and creamy texture but adds useful nutrients – manganese, iron and magnesium. These are great for maintaining bone health and transporting oxygen.”

Green smoothie lollies

Makes 10 lollies

Ingredients

• 125ml milk of choice
• 125g plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 ripe bananas, sliced
• 2 mangoes, cubed
• 3 handfuls of spinach
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp hemp, flax or chia seeds (optional)

Combine the bananas, mango, spinach, milk, yoghurt and honey until smooth. Add the seeds and mix. Pour the mixture into your moulds and freeze for at least 5 hours, or overnight.

Remember to buy moulds with sticks, or add your lolly sticks mid-way through freezing.

Susan says, “What a fab recipe! The milk and yoghurt (both of which can also be vegan) will provide calcium for strong bones, and protein for strong muscles. Chia seeds are also high in protein, while spinach is a good source of vitamins A and C. If all the fruit is ripe, you probably don’t need to add the honey – taste before adding to decide if it’s sweet enough.”

Coconut water and berry lollies

Makes 6 lollies

Ingredients

• 1 handful fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 handful fresh strawberries, sliced
• 240ml coconut water
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

At the bottom of your ice lolly moulds, place a slice of strawberry. Add two or three blueberries, then another slice of strawberry. Keeping a bit of room, repeat layers until you reach the end of the mould. In a cup, stir the maple syrup with the coconut water. Pour into the moulds. Freeze overnight.

“Using frozen berries often means the nutrient content is consistent, but nothing beats fresh seasonal produce,” says Susan. “Coconut water is great for hydration and is high in vitamin C and fibre. Try replacing the sweetener with a few fresh mint leaves.”

Strawberries and cream lollies

Makes 4 lollies

• 250g strawberries
• 100ml natural yoghurt, apple or orange juice
• 1 tsp honey

Blitz the strawberries, yoghurt or juice, and honey until smooth. Divide the mixture between the moulds and freeze for a minimum of 5 hours, or overnight.

“In this simple but tasty recipe, I would suggest using the yoghurt instead of juice. Yoghurt contains both protein and calcium and is alkaline, whereas fruit juice (although 150ml is one of your 5-a-day) has very little fibre, and is more acidic, which is more harmful to tooth enamel. Strawberries, whether fresh or frozen, are a great source of fibre and vitamin C.”

This article was originally published in Happiful Magazine. To purchase your copy, head to shop.happiful.com.