I am sad that summer is over and wanted to share the popsicles that I developed the first of summer.  My family were the testers and declared them great! They are easy to make. My husband loves the strawberry creamy popsicle, it reminds him of his families creamy strawberry birthday cake. My niece Emily helped me develop the orange creamy popsicle, it is her favorite.

Strawberry Creamy Popsicles

10 ounces strawberries

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1- 16.9 fl oz bottle lemonade vitamin water zero (sweetened with erythritol and stevia)

3 TBL healthy gelatin (I use Bernard Jensen's)

1/8 tsp Bolivian stevia (this is equal to 1/4 cup of sugar sweetness)

In a glass measuring cup or bowl soften the gelatin in 1 cup of the vitamin water for 5 minutes. Microwave the gelatin for 1 minute to melt, don't get it too hot.( If you don't like to use the microwave, boil a small pot of water and place the container of softened gelatin into the boiling water to melt the gelatin.)

Place all of your ingredients into a blender or ninja and blend until smooth. You are using the entire bottle of vitamin water. Adjust the stevia to your liking. Pour the mixture into your popsicle molds. Place into freezer until frozen, about 4 hours. I used twin pop molds which required patience to remove the popsicles from. I had to let it sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes until the popsicles would come out.  I like the inexpensive popsicle molds that I got at Ikea better, the popsicles come out easier.


This makes several batches of popsicles, store your unfrozen mix in your refrigerator. It will set up because of the gelatin in it. Gently melt it to make more popsicles. 

Orange Creamy Popsicles

2 oranges, pealed and sectioned

1 cup orange vitamin water zero (sweetened with erythritol and stevia)

3 TBL healthy gelatin (I use Bernard Jensen's)

1- 13.5 fl oz can of coconut milk

1/8 tsp Bolivian stevia

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 drops orange essential oil (I like DoTerra)

In a glass measuring cup or bowl soften the gelatin in 1 cup of the vitamin water for 5 minutes. Microwave the gelatin for 1 minute to melt, don't get it too hot.( If you don't like to use the microwave, boil a small pot of water and place the container of softened gelatin into the boiling water to melt the gelatin.)

Place all of your ingredients into a blender or ninja, blend until smooth. If you have a great blender you might not need this next step. I just have a ninja, my husband and grandson did not like the pieces of membrane in the popsicle. Now I strain it though a fine mesh strainer to create a smooth creamy. Adjust for sweetness and if it has enough orange oil. Pour into your popsicle molds.  Place into freezer until frozen, about 4 hours. I used twin pop molds which required patience to remove the popsicles from. I had to let it sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes until the popsicles would come out. I like the inexpensive popsicle molds that I got at Ikea better, the popsicles come out easier. 

This makes several batches of popsicles, store your unfrozen mix in your refrigerator. It will set up because of the gelatin in it. Gently melt it to make more popsicles. 

This is an old favorite of my husband's family. It sounds strange to add avocado to a sweet gelatin salad, but it is really good. The avocado adds a rich creaminess to the gelatin. The original recipe used a sugary box of lime Jello. I have made this recipe much better by using a bottle of lemon flavored vitamin water zero which is sweetened with erithritol and stevia and healthy gelatin in place of the Jello. Click here to read why gelatin is so good for you. 

I love coconut milk and gelatin so I developed a delicious recipe that gives us the tastiness and great nutrition of both. Coconut milk contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are all great. More exciting is that coconut milk is rich in a unique substance, lauric acid, which is a medium-chain fatty acid.  Lauric acid is abundant in mother’s milk; it is important for little developing brains and used to help people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  Lauric acid is anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial. I use full fat coconut milk because the coconut oil of the coconut milk is where a lot of the benefit is located. I look for coconut milk that does not have preservatives, we don’t have a problem with guar gum, it is a thickening agent derived from guar beans. Native Forest organic coconut milk is canned with BPA free cans. If your coconut milk has a thick layer of hardened  coconut oil on the top just gently warm it or blend it.  

Coconut Milk Jellies recipe
  
2 Cups water

2/3 cup Bernard Jensens gelatin (If using Great Lakes gelatin reduce to ½ cup)

1 (13.66 fl oz) can of full fat coconut milk

¼ tsp stevia (this is equal to ½ cup of sugar sweetness)

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 drops of orange or lemon essential oil (optional)
 
Put the water into a microwave proof dish, I use a large glass measuring cup. Sprinkle the gelatin into the water a little bit at a time, stirring to prevent clumping.  Allow the gelatin mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Microwave the gelatin mixture for 2 minutes until hot but not boiling. If you don’t like to use the microwave, boil a pot of water that your glass dish of softened gelatin will fit into without boiling water getting into your gelatin. Carefully place your dish of softened gelatin into the boiling water, stir for a few minutes until the gelatin is melted, remove the dish from the boiling water. 

Pour the coconut milk, stevia, vanilla and essential oil, if using, into a large container with a pouring spout, I use an 8 cup measuring bowl,  add the hot gelatin to the coconut milk mixture. Stir well. Pour into 48 small silicone
molds. You need to put the molds on cookie sheets or you will have a big mess when you try to pick it up. I only did that once! You can pour the mixture into a large glass pan 9x13 or larger. I like to use the silicone molds because they only take 2 hours to set up and they are fun to eat.  

Refrigerate, after the coconut jellies are set up, pop out of the molds or cut into squares. Store your coconut milk jellies in the refrigerator. Makes 48.

I got my silicone molds at Joanne’s craft store with my 50 % off coupon, they were $6 each. I saw a cute daisy mold there.

Life is interesting: I don’t know what I don’t know until I learn it. One thing I recently learned that I was so happy about was that healthy gelatin is actually really good for you. I love gelatin; not super sugary, artificially colored and flavored Jello, but gelatin made with fruit juice or healthy low-carb beverages. The healthy high-quality gelatins are made from pastured bovine. These brands are Bernard Jensen’s or Great Lakes. I also learned that unflavored Knox gelatin was the wrong kind of gelatin to use. I have found Bernard Jensen’s locally at The Good Earth in the baking section and at The Vitamin Shoppe in the joint health section. If you cannot find a source locally, you can order it here.

I have found that Great Lakes gelatin is a bit stronger than Bernard Jensen’s. If you use Great Lakes to make these jigglers, you might want to use 3 TBLS instead of 4 - it depends on how firm you like your gelatin. These jigglers are firm enough to eat with your fingers. If you want to eat it with a spoon, use 1 or 2 TBL of gelatin. Most children will love this healthy, sugar-free snack. Every tablespoon of gelatin has 12 grams of protein. I love this tasty protein filled snack, it is so easy and fast to make! I eat it every day!

This information on the health benefits of gelatin is from Kate at nutritionbynature.com. Click here to read her
informative gelatin blog. Below is a synopsis of her blog:
 
“Gelatin is pro-thyroid and helps to restore/support optimum metabolism by balancing certain amino acids that can inhibit thyroid function…Gelatin (proline) can aid in wound healing, suppress tumor growth…and reduce systemic inflammation...supports the biosynthesis of collagen…Gelatin can aid in the digestion of milk and milk products…has a sparing effect on proteins…promotes gastric secretion…is soothing and healing to the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract…is immunomodulatory…can increase blood levels of calcium…is used in the synthesis of the endogenous “master” antioxidant glutathione…supports overall liver health…opposes oestrogen and favours progesterone sparing…Gelatin directly opposes stress hormones adrenaline, cortisol and serotonin…has an inhibitory effect on neurotransmitters, helping to promote relaxation and deep sleep. Gelatin facilitates the blood-sugar lowering action of insulin, and has a history of use in the treatment of diabetes and
insulin resistance.”

Healthy Lemonade Jigglers 

1 bottle of Vitamin Water Zero squeezed lemonade 16.9 fl oz

4 TBLS of good gelatin (Bernard Jensen’s or Great Lakes)

1 small spoonful of stevia (taste to achieve your desired sweetness)

2 drops of lemon essential oil (I use doTerra essential oils)

Pour half of the lemonade into a two-cup glass measuring cup. Sprinkle 4 TBLS of gelatin onto the lemonade. Stir then allow it to sit for five minutes. Microwave the lemonade gelatin mixture for 1 minute. Stir some more since the gelatin should now be melted. If you don’t like to use the microwave, you can boil a small pot of water. Place the glass measuring cup with the softened gelatin in it and stir the gelatin for a few minutes until it melts. 
 
Pour the remainder of the lemonade into a medium sized (4 cup size) glass container. Add the stevia and the lemon
essential oil. Then, add the melted gelatin mixture; stir and refrigerate. Cut into squares and eat!
 
This recipe works well with any of your favorite SoBe lifewater or Vitamin Water Zero flavors. I always make sure that they are sweetened with erythritol and stevia, not sugar. The SoBe lifewater blood-orange mango is good with two drops of orange essential oil. I like the berry-flavored drinks with ½ tsp of natural strawberry or raspberry extract in place of the essential oil.