Fruity Sorbets and Popsicles

Is there anything we love more than frozen treats in the summer? Vegans have no trouble finding non-dairy frozen dessert options with the many delicious coconut and soy ice creams on the market. Sorbets are naturally dairy-free, but often the store bought varieties contain a lot of processed sugar and preservatives. When it’s this easy to make your own, why not? Let me tell you how! This will be one of the easiest recipes you’ve ever put together!

The first sorbet I attempted was orange, but this method works for other citrus fruits like lemon or lime as well. Also, you can most certainly make sorbet with berries, banana, mango, pineapple, melon, for example.  Only your imagination is the limit and we know that imaginations have no limit!

“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.” ~Jamie Paolinetti

With citrus fruits, I found it fun and pretty to use the peel itself as cups in which to serve the sorbet. With other fruits you may want to find little serving bowls, glasses or cups to serve in.

Since fruit is naturally sweet, you do not need to use an ingredient to sweeten it, however, with citrus or berries, you may appreciate a sweeter taste. In this case, there are many healthier alternatives to processed sugar.

Vegans stay away from honey since it too is an animal product which brings great suffering to bees, but we have the kind wonders of agave nectar to sweeten any treat, without blowing our glycemic index through the roof.

There is some controversy (as with most things) with respect to how healthy agave nectar really is: some have said it is as bad for you as the evil high fructose corn syrup. I am not too concerned about this since I only use it on occasion. I buy as unprocessed a product I can find, and always get the “raw” variety.  In my opinion, it is a useful ingredient to have as a sweetener because it does not affect the glycemic index like processed sugar does and it is almost flavorless so it will not interfere with the taste of the fruits in this recipe for example. Maple syrup is also a nice natural sweetener, but it does change the flavor. It is a nice option for the frozen banana treat!

For those who want to avoid the extra calories and any slight impact on their glycemic index, then stevia is the best choice. Stevia is an extremely sweet herb which can be used safely and healthily as a natural sweetener in any recipe. Since it is so sweet, only a few drops are necessary to render the sorbet sweeter than the fruits are on their own.

Alternatively, this recipe works great for making popsicles as well! You will need to purchase a popsicle mold and pour the mixture into it. Depending on which fruits you use, you can even throw in some small pieces of fruit with the blended mixture – this makes it look even prettier when frozen! You don’t even absolutely need molds if you don’t have them; tiny bowls, cups or even Dixie cups do the trick if you have popsicle sticks. It’s so easy and so delicious it’s almost unbelievable!

Have fun with this one and stay cool! Enjoy, in joy and in health!

Orange Sorbet

Ingredients:

Makes 2 servings

2 oranges

1 teaspoon raw agave nectar, OR a few drops of stevia, OR any form of sugar acceptable to you

Method:

1. Cut the orange in half. With the help of a paring knife, cut out the interior of the orange without piercing the orange peel.
2. Place the interior of the orange in the blender.  Add the agave nectar, stevia, or sugar of your choice. Blend until thick and clumpy.
3. Place the peels (which we will use as cups) in the freezer to harden.
4. Pour orange mixture into a bowl and place in the freezer for 1 hour.
5. Remove from the freezer and blend very briefly on low speed a second time in the blender.
6. Scoop up the mixture and place in the orange peel cups in a mound shape. Place in the freezer for another hour or until completely hardened. Garnish with mint, basil, cacao nibs, berries or crushed nuts of your choice.