CARROT AND GREEN FRUIT JUICE

PG tested

Yes, you can make ice pops with just about any ingredient that can be pureed, including vegetables. The star of this healthful pop is carrots spiced with ginger and cinnamon. As for the green layer, the original recipe called for wheatgrass juice, but it proved illusive. So I substituted a bottled “green goodness” fruit juice smoothie.

This pop takes some time, as you have to separately freeze the individual layers. Be sure to use a mold without snap-on tops, as you want to be able to pour the ingredients around the stick. (I didn’t, and had to use a hot knife blade to cut a slot for the sticks.) 3 ½ cups apple juice ½ cup brown sugar 1 ½ cups peeled and diced carrots 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup coconut milk, homemade or

canned, divided 1 cup green fruit juice smoothie

In a saucepan, combine apple juice and brown sugar and stir over low heat for 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Set aside 1½cups of the mixture.

To remaining apple juice mixture in the saucepan, add the carrots, ginger and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and pour into a bowl to cool to room temperature.

In a food processor or blender, puree the carrot mixture until smooth. Add ½ cup of the coconut milk and process to combine.

In a bowl, combine green fruit juice, ¾ cup of reserved apple juice mixture and remaining ½ cup coconut milk.

Partially fill the ice pop molds with the carrot mixture. Insert the sticks. Freeze for at least 2 hours. Add a layer of green juice mixture, freeze for 2 hours, then add a layer of the remaining reserved apple juice mixture.

Repeat layers, freezing for at least 2 hours between layers, until the pop molds are full. Freeze for at least 4 hours.

Remove from the freezer; let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing the pops from the molds.

- “Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone” by Krystina Castella (Quirk Books, 2008)