Summer Kickoff: Fruit & Herb Popsicles from Litehouse Instantly Fresh Herbs - #Giveaway

There’s nothing as refreshing on a warm summer day as a Popsicle.  Luckily, these delicious frozen treats have evolved from the sticky, sweetness on a stick the ice cream man used to deliver.  The latest treats are easy to make at home and blend fresh fruit with culinary herbs for mouthwatering flavor combinations like:
 

·        Pineapple-Coconut-Ginger

·        Mango-Strawberry-Lemongrass

·        Black Cherry-Blackberry

·        Watermelon-Basil 

Check out these recipes for Fruit & Herb popsicles  from Litehouse Foods, which use Instantly Fresh Herbs, freeze-dried fresh herbs, with no additives and lots of flavor - just like fresh, but they last much longer.

Fruit & Herb Pops” are blended fruit chunks or sugar-free fruit juice combined with easy-to-make herb syrup from low-glycemic agave nectar and Litehouse Instantly Fresh Ginger, Lemongrass, or Basil.

Ingredients:

For Pineapple-Coconut-Ginger Pops
1/3-cup water
2 tsp. Instantly Fresh Ginger (use one tsp. for a milder ginger flavor)
1-1/2 Tbsp. blue agave nectar (an all-natural, low glycemic sweetener)
1 cup pineapple-coconut juice, unsweetened
1 kiwi, sliced thinly

For Mango-Strawberry-Lemongrass Pops
1/3-cup water
2 tsp. Instantly Fresh Lemon Grass
1-1/2 Tbsp. blue agave nectar
1 cup mango juice, unsweetened
4 large strawberries, sliced thinly

For Black Cherry-Blackberry Pops
1/3-cup water
2 tsp. Instantly Fresh Lemon Grass
1-1/2 Tbsp. blue agave nectar
1 cup mango juice, unsweetened
5 large blackberries, halved

For Watermelon-Basil Pops
1/3-cup water
2 teaspoon Instantly Fresh Basil
1-1/2 tablespoon blue agave nectar
4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into chunks

Directions:

1.    Mix water and ginger, lemongrass, or basil in a 1-qt saucepan. Add agave nectar and bring to a simmer. Allow the ingredients to reduce for two-three minutes. Put ingredients aside until saucepan cools to room temperature, then pour syrup through a strainer to remove herbs. (Note, when using basil, smaller bits of the herb may remain.)
2.    Pour juice into bowl with spout or (if making watermelon pops), blend fruit until pureed. (Note: no blender is needed for pops made with fruit juice.)
3.    Add syrup to blender with watermelon puree and blend for a few more seconds. If making juice pops, pour syrup into bowl with juice and stir.
4.    Pour fruit puree or juice into 10 3-oz ice pop compartments and leave ½ inch of space at the top. Add 1 or two slices or pieces of fruit to each compartment and put popsicle sticks and lid (if included) in place.
5.    Place pops in freezer and freeze for 2-4 hours or until contents have frozen solid.

My Thoughts

I grow many of my own herbs, but right now my crop is just beginning to sprout and isn't quite ready to be picked yet. I've often used dried herbs as an alternative, but it was never as good as fresh herbs. I've heard freeze dried herbs were a better option, but I'd never had a chance to try them before. Litehouse Instantly Fresh Herbs are as fresh and their name implies. I used them for a few different recipes, and they were so delicious, they could've come straight from my own garden.

The first thing  I tried with my Litehouse herbs was the watermelon basil popsicle.  Making this is a simple and a fun summer activity. It's a delicious and healthy snack kids and adults can both enjoy. I never considered adding basil to watermelon, but the combination is actually incredibly refreshing. The addition of the basil keeps it from being overly sweet and really wakes up your taste buds.

Even though its almost summer, the nights have still been chilly here at the Jersey Shore, so I decided to  try making some herbal tea as well. I love loose leaf tea made from fresh or dried herbs, and often mix my own. I used the Litehouse Instantly Fresh Lemongrass and Mint to create a nice, light tea. All you need are two teaspoons of each which can be added to a diffuser or loose leaf tea bag.   Add boiling water, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes and you're good to go.

This tea turned out perfectly with my Litehouse herbs. While I do grow some mint, Lemongrass is one herb I always fail miserably at, so I've never had it fresh. I could really taste the difference. This was one of the best cups of tea I ever made. While I enjoyed this tea hot, the same blend is just as enjoyable iced. If you want it to be a little sweeter, just add a spoonful of honey.

These are only a few examples of the delicious creations you can enjoy with Litehouse Instantly Fresh Herbs. They are perfect for seasoning your meals and making teas.  Now that I've tried freeze dried, I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to old fashioned dried herbs again, and I've already been exploring the website to see what other blends I can add to my herb cabinet.

If you'd like to learn more about Litehouse and all the products they offer, be sure to visit their website or follow them via their social media.

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The Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to receive a set of six Litehouse Instantly Fresh herbs including: Sage, Lemongrass, Mint, Ginger, Thyme and Basil. To enter, just fill in the Giveaway Tools form below. This giveaway will  6/16/15 and is open to the US only.  The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to Litehouse for offering this fantastic prize.

Entry-Form