Do you remember the sound of the ice cream truck coming down the street playing its tune when you were a kid? To me, it was the happiest sound of the day! All the neighborhood kids would come running out to meet the truck.
Fast forward a lot of years, and I still love ice pops…. especially in hot weather. When my kids were little I made ice pops for them at home. I knew I could make them just as delicious, waaaay less expensive and much healthier than the ones available in the store! And to tell the truth, I have never stopped making them.
As I started to make my first batch this season, I was thinking of you and how much more fun it would be if I shared one of my favorite easy recipes with you. While you can definitely substitute many fruits for the cherries, this particular recipe works well with stone fruits. Peaches, plums, apricots and cherries are some of the most common and popular ones. Cherries in particular, with their gorgeous color, are perfect for these pops ( yes, I love cherries…:)) Aside from their deliciousness, cherries are remarkably full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which are believed to protect against metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and others. They are also naturally high in tryptophan, a hormone that benefits sleep.
And more than anything, these ice pops are as delicious as they are good for you. So what do you say? Ready for some summertime fun?
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cup brown lentils rinsed
- 1 pc bay leaf
- 1 tsp thyme
- Small handful of parsley chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes
- Add the garlic, carrots and celery and sauté for 2-3 minutes
- Add the broth, lentils, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook on medium-low heat until lentils are tender, approximately 30–40 minutes
- Stir in chopped parsley, remove the bay leaf before serving and enjoy
