Simple Popsicles

I've been toying around with new popsicle flavors since I posted these Strawberry Balsalmic ones a while ago. There have been some hits, and some definite misses. I have  a few more ideas I'd like to try out, and if those work well I will certainly report back! Pictured above, we have honeydew green tea (blergh), pineapple (my favorite!), and watermelon (tasty, but it has texture issues). 

The best thing about the Strawberry Balsamic Popsicles is that they're almost entirely fruit. A touch of honey for sweetness, sure, and some extra flavors, but I had a feeling that fruit purees are where it's at when it comes to homemade popsicles. In some cases, I was right; in others, not entirely. But as a base for further experimentation, the purees gave me the texture that I was looking for - more creamy, less icy. 

The pineapple popsicles were my absolute favorite. They were flavorful, sweet, and had a great texture. And they couldn't be simpler.

Simple Pineapple Popsicles
This hardly qualifies as a recipe - it's so simple! Other types of fruit can be substituted - see below for what I've tried.
Yield: four 3 oz popsicles

INGREDIENTS
about 3 cups chopped fresh pineapple

DIRECTIONS
1. Blend pineapple in food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Pour into molds, add sticks, and freeze. Enjoy!

We also liked a honeydew version - sweetened with a bit of honey, to taste.  I tried making a honeydew-green tea popsicle, but it did NOT turn out well. I could try a few different tactics for adding the tea flavor, but the first batch were so bad that I was quite discouraged.

I enjoyed a watermelon puree version too - but as you can see, there was some separation in the freezing process.  It was quite delicious, but I'm thinking adding some strawberries to the mix would improve the texture.

These are pretty simple starting points, but they seem to prove my basic theory correct: I should use fruit purees, not juices, as the base for my popsicle recipes. And if it tastes good in the blender, it should taste good frozen!

Has it heated up where you live yet? We've been alternating thunderstorms and sweltering heat - summer weather is arriving! 

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Strawberry Balsamic Basil Popsicles

 Summer is certainly arriving here in Lincoln. We've had humidity, thunderstorms, and pool weather all week! And warm weather means it's time to bring out the popsicle molds again.

Strawberries finally went on sale at the grocery store this week, so I decided to make my favorite grown-up popsicle recipe. No, it's not a "poptail" - these are totally alcohol free. The grown-up part is the flavor - straight strawberry popsicles are delicious, but introducing a few other flavors makes things much more interesting.

I used this set of popsicle molds - and I think they work really well. The stick doesn't slide out of the mold (a problem I've hand when un-molding other molds), the individual molds are much more convenient than connected-type molds, and the tray to stand them up in the freezer is effective. The pops un-mold pretty easily when you run a little warm water over them. They're also BPA free and hold about 3.5 oz per mold. Of course, you can use whatever molds you have, or go the classic dixie-cup-and-a-wooden-stick route.

Strawberry Balsamic Basil Popsicles
These are based on a recipe from Women's Health Magazine, which I altered after making it a few times. Taste your puree before pouring it into the molds - if your strawberries were very sour, you might need a bit more honey.
Yield: Four 3 oz popsicles

INGREDIENTS
3 cups hulled and halved strawberries, divided (approximate yield of 1 lb strawberries)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped basil, divided

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine 2 cups strawberries, honey, vinegar, and half of basil in a non-metal bowl (you need to use glass or plastic because of the vinegar).  Set aside for 1 hour.
2. Slice remaining strawberries.
3. When hour has passed, place contents of bowl in a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in remaining basil, and fill molds about 2/3 full. 
4. Place 1/4 of strawberry slices in each mold, pressing them in so they are covered by the puree.  Add sticks, and place in freezer for 8 hours or overnight.
5. To un-mold popsicles, run under warm water for a few seconds until pop releases from mold. Enjoy!

We've already finished off these pops, and we're scheming about what the next flavor we make should be. Any ideas? 

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Muhammara: Spread of the Future?

I've been in a bit of a rut lately. I often find myself in this position towards the end of winter, waiting for the rejuvenating energy of spring to strike. When I'm in a rut, the best way to get out of it is to change the little things in my day. Run a running route backwards, or read a new book. Or try a new recipe. I've done all of those things this past week or so, and I'd say I feel a little more excitement for life. Definitely less like I'm in a rut. I'm sure the warm temperatures we've been having aren't hurting my mood either.  But you're here for that new recipe I tried. It was a good one - really good.

Muhammara has been on my list of "Things I Must Make Soon" for a few months now. (Funny how that works.) And now that I've made it, I'm only sorry I waited so long to do so!

Muhammara is a middle eastern spread.  It is made up mostly of walnuts and roasted peppers - it is sweet, with a spice-laced background that I find irresistible. I really don't know how authentic this version is, to be honest, because I had never tasted it before I made it. But I do know that this version is truly, truly delicious. So, no promises about authenticity, but I do promise that it tastes fantastic.

This version, as I have written it, is not spicy. If you want something more authentic, or if you enjoy spicy foods, I highly recommend including 1 tsp red pepper flakes or a few pinches of cayenne to make it as hot as you like. 

I do not call for pomegranate molasses in this recipe, which seems to be a traditional ingredient, because I could not find it at my grocery store. I imagine I could find it at one of the middle eastern markets in town, but I wanted to make the recipe a bit more accessible. I don't like to keep ingredients on hand that I only use in a single recipe.  The maple syrup tastes great here, a natural pairing with chilies and walnuts. 

I've been eating this on top of slices of pan fried tofu and as a dip for carrot sticks. It would be great slathered on some bread as part of a sandwich too. 

I could keep rattling on about how great it tastes, because I wish it were a more photogenic food, but here we are anyways. Muhammara doesn't seem to have gained the popularity of some of it's cousins (like hummus), but it has earned a place in my kitchen. The spread of the future? Maybe. It's definitely something I'll include in my own future.

Muhammara

If you would like, you can add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to make this spread spicy. You can use jarred roasted peppers, or roast your peppers fresh.  Adapted from Super Natural Cooking, by Heidi Swanson.

Yield: about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted

1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp grade B maple syrup

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 roasted red bell peppers

1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste (I used 3/4-1 tsp total)

1/2 cup water

Lemon slices, to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. To toast the walnuts, place in a dry skillet over medium heat, and stir regularly, until the nuts begin to get golden brown spots on them and smell really good. (Or you can use whatever toasting method you like - this is my favorite method.)

2. Combine all ingredients except lemon slices in a measuring cup  or bowl and blend with an immersion blender. (Or you can try making this in a standard blender or food processor.)

3. Taste, and adjust salt and spices to your liking. Refrigerate in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it. Squeeze lemon slices over the muhammara when you eat it!

Tomorrow I will post how to make the tofu you see pictured here - a simple pan-fried technique that creates the perfect protein platform for the sauce of your choice! 

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