Hellobee

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When I saw these raspberry, yogurt, and muesli pops on Lush Loves, I was eager to experiment with other variations on a breakfast popsicle. With mornings getting warmer and muggier (I am so jealous if you live somewhere with low humidity), the idea of a frozen meal first thing in the morning is becoming increasingly appealing. The three recipes that came out of my kitchen trials aren’t just great for breakfast; they are also convenient, refreshing, and healthy snack options.

The first two breakfast pops – green smoothie and strawberry-mango – are great for both kids and adults. I believe there’s a rule that children will eat anything in popsicle form, but then again I’m pretty sure I would too. These don’t have as much sugar as your typical popsicle, but they are slightly sweet and boast satisfying fat and protein. They both passed the Zane test with flying colors.

The last popsicle is a fudgy, caffeinated delight that takes cold brew coffee to the next level.

What do you think of the concept of breakfast popsicles? Any recipe ideas for my next round of experimentation?

Green Smoothie Breakfast Popsicles

This recipe was a no-brainer but probably my favorite of the three – My basic green smoothie in popsicle form. Use frozen bananas for optimal texture, and be sure your spinach is thoroughly rinsed of grit. Makes about 6 half cup pops, depending on the size of your bananas.

2 bananas
1/4 c almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
2 c loosely packed fresh spinach, thoroughly washed
1/2 c milk

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Strawberry-Mango Breakfast Popsicles

A fruit-and-yogurt breakfast, lightly sweetened and amped up with hemp seeds and turmeric. Once again, fresh fruit is great but frozen fruit will make for the best texture. Makes 6 half cup popsicles.

for the yogurt layer
1/2 c Greek yogurt
2 tbsp honey

for the strawberry layer
1 c chopped strawberries
1/2 banana
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon hemp seeds

for the mango layer
1 c fresh mango pieces (from 1 medium mango)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and honey. In a blender or food processor, blend together the strawberry layer ingredients until smooth and pour into a small bowl. Rinse the blender/processor, add the mango layer ingredients, and blend until smooth.

The yogurt layer is thick, so I chose to just plop a spoonful into each popsicle mold. Then, pour in the strawberry layer, dividing evenly between the molds. Top off with the mango layer, then freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Iced Mocha Breakfast Popsicles

Popsicles that will really wake you up! I use the NY Times cold brew coffee recipe, but I suspect you could use any cold brew coffee concentrate or chilled espresso or strongly brewed coffee. The ice crystals are pretty large, but I didn’t want to change up the ingredients. You would probably need to add more fat and air to make them smoother, but this recipe is simple and includes an ingredient profile similar to what I like to drink in the morning. Makes about 4 half cup popsicles.

1 c cold brew coffee concentrate
1/2 c half-and-half
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Wait five minutes for the bubbles to subside, give the mixture a stir, then divided between the popsicle molds. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.