Making healthy, fun frozen treats and desserts

    If you've been following Joy In Our Journey.com for any length of time now, you probably realize that I'm regularly on the lookout for great tasting, truly healthy recipes for my family - and for my sweet tooth.  ☺

    I recently hosted a Zoku Holiday Pops Party because I've enjoyed using Zoku products in the past.  While I did use recipes that contained sugar at the party, I'd like to share some healthier options for making delicious frozen treats. 

    Are you ready?  Here you are! 

(To pin any of these recipes, hover over the images and the "Pin It" button should appear.)

My friends who were able to come over despite a busy Christmas schedule!

Healthy Popsicle Recipes:

    The recipes below were made using the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, which is so much fun because popsicles are easily made in 9-12 minutes - woot! 

    If you don't own a Zoku Quick Pop Maker, consider one!  They are a lot of fun to use with children.  I think the younger children who attended my party had the most fun of all!

    I've adapted these recipes to work for a healthy, low-carb eating plan like Trim Healthy Mama, since those are typically the types of recipes I share here.

Note:  This recipe is not 100% THM-friendly due to the use of orange juice.  If desired, use fresh lemon juice combined with water and powdered sweetener in place of the orange juice for a delicious Lemon-Cranberry Popsicle.

• 9 ounces orange juice; divided use

For the cranberry sauce:

• 6 ounces fresh cranberries (about 1-1/3 cup)
• 4 ounces orange juice (½ cup)
• ½ cup granulated sweetener (like Swerve Sweetener or Truvia)
  
• zest of one orange

MAKE THE CRANBERRY-ORANGE BASE

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve sweetener in ½ cup orange juice. Stir in the fresh cranberries and cook until the cranberries begin to pop, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours.
2. Remove Cranberry-Orange Sauce from the refrigerator and place into a blender. Add in 6 ounces of orange juice and blend until smooth (mixture will be slightly thick).
   

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks and pour about ¾ ounce of cranberry-orange base into each cavity; allow layer to freeze completely.
2. Pour ½ ounce orange juice into each cavity directly on top of the cranberry-orange layer; allow layer to freeze completely.
3. Pour another layer of the cranberry-orange base up fill line in each cavity (approximately ¾ ounce per pop); allow layer to freeze completely.
4. Remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops.
   

Makes 6 popsicles.

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• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons granulated erythritol-stevia based sweetener like Swerve Sweetener or Truvia
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup pure pumpkin puree
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream

MAKE THE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE BASE

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant espresso granules with 2 Tbsp. warm water until granules have dissolved completely.
2. Whisk in the sweetener, vanilla, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cold water, and heavy cream until thoroughly combined and smooth.
3. Chill mixture (if not chilled, pops will take longer to freeze).
   
   

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks and pour the pumpkin spice latte base until you reach the fill line.
2. Let freeze completely; then remove the pops with the Super Tool.
   
3. Repeat with remaining mixture.
   
   Makes 6 popsicles.

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Leave out the light rum if you prefer a lower carb, non-alcoholic treat.

• 1 cup (4 oz) fresh or frozen raspberries
• ½ cup (3 oz) fresh or frozen blueberries
• ½ cup (2 oz) fresh or frozen blackberries
• 2 oz light rum (optional)
• *½ cup simple syrup (1/2 cup sweetener, dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water and cooled)

MAKE THE BERRY MOJITO BASE
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Pulse the machine until the mixture begins to smooth, but still has a little texture to it.

ASSEMBLE THE POPS
Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks and pour the Berry Mojito base into each cavity until you reach the fill line. Let freeze completely and remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops.

*The amount of simple syrup you use will vary depending on the sweetness of the berries.

• 1 cup heavy cream, divided
  
• 2/3 cup water
  
• 2 Tbs. instant espresso powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sweetener like Swerve Sweetener

In a saucepan over low heat, combine and heat 2/3 cup heavy cream and water (but do not boil). Whisk in espresso powder and sweetener until dissolved. Remove from stovetop and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup heavy cream. Refrigerate until cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

To assemble the pops, remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from freezer.  Insert sticks into the pop maker molds and pour in the cooled coffee base until you reach the fill line. Let freeze completely; then, remove the popsicles with the Super Tool and enjoy. Repeat to make the remaining pops.  Makes 6 pops.

For more amazing popsicle recipes, check out Zoku's colorful Quick Pops recipe book.

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Healthy Slushes and Milkshakes - yum!

     Growing up, my siblings and I had slush-type mugs where we froze the inner core in the freezer and pulled it out later to fill with drinks of our choice (or our mom's choice).  ☺  While I really enjoyed the slush-type mugs of my childhood, these Zoku Slush & Shake Makers are the grown-up version of the type I had growing up.  Using the Zoku Slush & Shake Maker, you can literally make healthy slushies, milkshakes, and fruit smoothies in as little as 7 minutes on your countertop.  Nice!  The included spoon works so much better than any spoon I've had in my kitchen.  You're going to love it.

     For my Zoku Holiday Pops Party, I made two different slush recipes for my guests:  Peppermint Latte Slush and Oregon Chai Slush.

     The Oregon Chai Slush is so simple that it really doesn't require a recipe:  follow the directions on the box of Oregon Chai Concentrate (with sugar/honey or sugar-free version) to make chai.  When chai mixture is cooled, pour 1-1/4 cups of chai mixture into frozen inner core of Zoku Slush & Shake Maker.

     I've adapted this recipe to fit the low-carb lifestyle.  Enjoy!

• 1/2 cup cream
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup powdered sweetener of your choice (Swerve Sweetener or Truvia)
• 2 to 4 shots freshly brewed espresso or espresso powder dissolved in water (see directions on container of espresso powder)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract, or to taste

Whisk the cream, water, powdered sweetener, espresso, and peppermint extract until the sweetener dissolves, about 2 minutes.  Remove Slush & Shake Maker core from freezer and place in frozen cup in holder.  Pour Peppermint Latte Slush mix into Slush & Shake Maker; stir until thick.  

For additional slush, shake, and smoothie recipes, consider purchasing Zoku's "The Art of Slush" recipe book!

     I hope you'll give some of these great recipes a try!  We've really enjoyed our Zoku frozen dessert products.  EnJOY!

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