The Other Side of the Tortilla

popsicles

Banana chia popsicles

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These banana chia popsicles are an easy homemade summer treat packed with nutrition and very little added sugar.

How to make banana chia popsicles with banana, chia seeds, coconut milk and a little sugar. This recipe is dairy-free and vegan-friendly! Via theothersideofthetortilla.com

During the summer, I always want paletas for dessert whenever possible because, well, it’s typically REALLY HOT in the part of Los Angeles where we live. I very rarely buy popsicles in the grocery store because they have a lot of added sugar, and if I’m going to be eating them daily, I need to make healthier choices. Plus, I have a reputation to uphold as the queen of paletas!

Whenever I buy too many bananas (which is basically always) and they start to get spots and are too ripe, I have to get creative with how to use them quickly. So I came up with this frozen treat version of a refrigerated banana chia pudding that I like to make when I’m trying to eat healthier. They’re not overly sweet or too banana-y, they’re very low-fat and not many calories per serving either (for the record, one serving is one popsicle). As you probably know, bananas are packed with potassium and Vitamin C as well as fiber and some other nutrients. Most of the sweetness in this recipe comes from the natural sugar in the bananas. Of course, if you like your popsicles on the sweeter side, you can always add a little extra sugar to the recipe if you want.

RELATED RECIPE: Coconut chia pudding

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Mango cantaloupe paletas with chile powder

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Mango and cantaloupe are a great combination not only because they’re both at peak availability during the summer, but also because both fruits are sweet enough when ripe that they don’t need to be sweetened with sugar to make juices or other treats like popsicles.

These mango cantaloupe popsicles are keeping me in denial about the end of summer drawing near.

Mango, cantaloupe and chile powder paletas recipe from The Other Side of The Tortilla

I really love these popsicles because they’re not syrupy sweet like store-bought popsicles, and the chile powder in the fruit mixture adds just the right amount of heat so that they’re still kid-friendly. Optionally, if you like, you can also sprinkle or dip the popsicles in some more chile powder before eating to add extra spicy flavor. …

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Pineapple cucumber lime paletas

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Paletas made with pineapple, cucumber and lime juice are a refreshing, healthy treat you can enjoy without any guilt! This all-natural, no sugar added popsicle recipe is one of my favorite ways to cool off from the summer heat, without consuming lots of empty calories or sugar. The lime zest gives these paletas a bright zip of color and a citrusy aroma that lime juice alone just can’t provide. I also love how the lime zest sinks to the bottom of the popsicle mold as it freezes, embedded in the pineapple juice and some of the cucumber juice naturally floats to the top of the mold. It makes for a pretty layered look with zero effort for it to turn out that way!

Pineapple, cucumber and lime #popsicle #recipe on theothersideofthetortilla.com #paletas

After going 10 days without eating sugar last month, I began thinking a lot about how much added sugar we actually consume in our household. Although we won’t completely cut all added sugar out of our diet, there are definitely some places we can easily cut back to make healthier choices. And although it’s true that pineapple has a moderately high amount of natural sugar, the juice, when cut by cucumber  and lime juice and divided into 10 popsicles, still has way less sugar per serving than almost any store-bought popsicle, and absolutely no preservatives, chemicals, sugar substitutes or artificial color dyes.

RELATED RECIPE: Mango cantaloupe paletas with chile powder

If your family consumes a lot of popsicles in the summer like mine does, then you probably already know that making your own ice pops can be both cost effective and healthier. Especially if you’ve got little kids  you don’t want eating lots of sugar, this recipe is a great, tasty option. Be sure to cut the skin off the cucumber so that the flavor is mild and blends in well to mellow the sweetness of the pineapple. Leaving the skin on the cucumber often results in a bitter flavor that throws off the balance.

This pineapple, cucumber and lime popsicle recipe is vegan-friendly, dairy-free and gluten-free….

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Paletas de horchata

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These horchata popsicles are a spin on Oaxaca-style horchata, which usually includes diced cantaloupe and red prickly pears that give it it’s signature pink hue. In Oaxaca, this kind of horchata is commonly referred to as horchata con tuna. Some people even like to throw in chopped pecans and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon as a garnish. Horchata has always been one of the most popular recipes on The Other Side of The Tortilla, so I thought I’d share a popsicle version that my family loves to eat.

This recipe for horchata popsicles is gluten-free.

Horchata popsicles with cantaloupe and blackberries | Get more Mexican recipes on theothersideofthetortilla.com…

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Watermelon and red prickly pear paletas

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Watermelon and red prickly pears are one of my favorite fruit flavor pairings. This summer I’ve been making a combination agua fresca with both flavors, and I started modifying my agua fresca recipe to turn them into paletas (er… Zokuletas). While mixing them together and pouring straight into my Zoku Quick Pop Maker for a quick and tasty treat, I found that I enjoy them much more when they look pretty too. I love making these layered pops for a refreshing snack on a hot day.

watermelon prickly pear paletas

If you don’t have the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, you can also use a popsicle mold with 2-ounce pops (affiliate links to El Mercadito, The Other Side of The Tortilla’s Amazon aStore); you’ll just have to wait longer for the layers to freeze before you can add another layer….

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Mangonada paletas with a Zoku Quick Pop Maker

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Paletas are a serious weakness of mine. All summer, I’ve been testing dozens of flavors and the hardest part is always waiting for them to freeze. That’s why when several friends were telling me about the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, I knew I had to get one. Make single-serve popsicles with three different flavors at once? A dream. Do it in 7-10 minutes? Even better! I’ve been playing with it all summer and I’m finally ready to start sharing some of my tasty creations using this fun kitchen tool.

This post includes affiliate links to all the products used to make this recipe, which are available in El Mercadito, my Amazon aStore.

mangonada (mango and chamoy) paletas

I’ve been experimenting with so many flavors, that I wanted to try something very classic and simple, similar to my mango con chile paletas recipe that I shared here a few summers ago. I can’t seem to eat enough mango this year, and I brought back a bottle of chamoy from Mexico when we visited earlier this summer. This recipe is similar to a mangonada or chamoyada, just blended together and frozen in paleta-form—but you’ll definitely recognize this classic Mexican flavor combination. I’ve started calling my Mexi popsicles made in my Zoku machine “Zokuletas” (insert cheesy grin here). Let’s see if we can make it catch on!…

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Wordless Wednesday: Paletas in the Test Kitchen

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We’ve been really busy this sumer in the test kitchen developing paleta recipes. Here’s the most recent batch that got taste-tested this week: Fresas con crema!

paletas de fresas con crema

It’s so much fun developing flavors! This recipe was a big hit with my taste-tester group… there’s nothing better than seeing everyone smile and ask for a second one, right?

  • Do you have a flavor you’d like me to make? Let me know in the comments below and you might see the recipe here soon!

 

Avocado paletas

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This post is part of a compensated campaign in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Avocados from Mexico but my love for avocados from Mexico is 100 percent authentic and the opinions and recipe in this post are my own. This post includes affiliate links to my Amazon aStore, El Mercadito, recommending products that I used to make this recipe.

paletas de aguacate | avocado popsicles

Summer means paleta time in my house. And though we like the traditional flavors, I also like to branch out and make flavors that are considered “normal” in Mexico, but that are not as common to see in the U.S., such as avocado. A few friends have looked at me sideways when I said I was working on a popsicle recipe with avocados, but I assure you that you’ll be won over by the creamy texture and pleasantly earthy, sweet taste.

I prefer to buy avocados from Mexico because of that distinctive, earthy taste due to the fertile volcanic soil in which they’re grown. They’re packed with nutrients and are a versatile ingredient that can be used in both savory and sweet dishes—but most people don’t think of using avocados in a sweet dish. The thing I especially love about this recipe is that the light coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk (also known as lechera) don’t overpower the natural flavor so you can still taste the earthiness of the avocado….

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Natural fruit paletas with watermelon and Tajín

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Natural paletas made with watermelon and TajínEvery kid I know loves paletas—and every mom I know wants to reduce the amount of sugar in their kids’ diet. With summer upon us, I’m already seeing watermelon everywhere in the farmers markets and grocery stores. I love watermelon and would eat it for three meals a day if I could, so I’ve been getting more creative with how to use it. These are especially great on a really hot day! A bonus: Because these natural paletas aren’t like traditional popsicles, they’re much less likely to drip and stain clothing if that’s an issue with your kids.

And you don’t need to have kids to enjoy these simple paletas! You can honor your inner child or summer cravings for a popsicle with a healthier twist. For those with diet restrictions, these paletas are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan-friendly. This “recipe” isn’t really a recipe; I like to think of it more as a healthy tip I’m passing on to you. Don’t discard leftover pieces that don’t make the cut: Sprinkle Tajín and squeeze a little lime juice on it for a snack, or cut them into bite-sized pieces and freeze to use as watermelon ice cubes to flavor your water….

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