Mango Iced Tea Pops

… A Cool Recharge on a HOT Summer Day!

Is it HOT where you are? Cuz it’s HOT here! I’ve been needing a way to cool off. And on these hot summer days, I tend to hit a sleepy spell right in the mid-afternoon hours. Sometimes a 10-minute power nap does me a world of good. But sometimes it’s just not possible to stop right in the middle of everything. You know what I mean, right? So for just a quick, little pick me up that won’t get me jittery, and won’t cause an even greater crash later on, I grab a nice, cool glass of iced tea. Cools me off and fends off the sleepies. And who can forget that it’s hot because it’s summertime – which means popsicle time! So I decided to create a tasty mid-afternoon snack to cool and refresh, and get my motor going while enjoying popsicle season … Hence, this Mango Iced Tea Pop was born.

This recipe is so simple, it’s crazy (and of course they’re naturally gluten- and dairy-free). Because you’re creating these cool treats in your own kitchen, you can control the amount of sweetness and caffeine. I like to use my favorite brewed iced tea (no sweetener, regular or decaf tea), then through it into a blender with some frozen fruit (all-natural, no sugar added), and squeeze in just a couple of drops of Agave. You can even get playful and add your favorite fresh fruit (I added blueberries to this one) to enhance that burst of summertime goodness. It’s that simple … and the perfect cool recharge on a HOT summer day! I think I hear one calling my name right now!

Mango Iced Tea Pops

Prep time: 5 minutes

Freeze time: about an hour

Makes: about 8 popsicles

Ingredients:

16 ounces of your favorite brewed tea

1 cup frozen mango pieces, or frozen fruit of your choice

agave nectar, to taste

1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh fruit, sliced or left whole if fruit is small

Directions:

Place tea and mango into blender. Blend briefly. Add agave and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds until about 3/4 full. Add fresh fruit pieces and adjust placement with a skewer or end of a spoon. Cap the popsicle molds and freeze, standing upright, for at least one hour, or until firm. Remove popsicles from mold by rubbing the container with your hands a few times, or run under cool tap water just long enough to loosen. Lick, suck, slurp, bite, nibble … whatever it takes to enjoy the HOT of summer with these cool pops. But do it quickly before they melt!

Safe food is a journey … Thrive!™