Strawberry Pushup Popsicles

These pushup popsicle molds work great for freezing leftover smoothies, juice, and tea concoctions. My three year old is going through a phase where she doesn't want to drink smoothies (unless of course they have chocolate in them like my Red Velvet Cake Smoothie) but she does love eating a popsicle. When she was a baby, I loved using these Mini Ice Lolly Set but now she is bigger these Sunsella Mighty Popsare amazing! You can fill one of them, pop on the lid, and freeze. Or you can make a whole batch! I think they are a lot more convenient than regular popsicle molds and they are BPA free and dishwasher safe!

We had a garage sale this last weekend with my sister and her three kids. It was so fun yet exhausting! These were a sweet treat on one of the days. I was particularly tickled when my two year old nephew asked me if I could keep the rest of his "warm" so he could enjoy it later. I had to do a little bit of explaining to him on that one. It was nice to take a break and help him out. Goodness, children are so precious! And often times I get caught up in the moment or in my busy schedule and forget to enjoy them.

So I hope these strawberry pushup popsicles find you enjoying a little respite with your family.

Strawberry Pushup Popsicles
4 cups strawberries (frozen if fresh is not available), washed and stems removed
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or coconut milk (coconut water is also a great alternative to replenish electrolytes)
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (I ordered these juicy fellows)
2-3 TB agave, honey or maple syrup (optional)

Blend all ingredients together. Pour into popsicle molds (I used these Sunsella Mighty Pops) and freeze. When ready to enjoy, remove the popsicle mold from freezer and the bottom end under hot water for 30 seconds. These babies will pop right out after!

Alternatively, if you don't have a blender. You can soften the strawberries by cooking them in 2 TB water for 8-10 minutes and then mashing everything together.

Enjoy! And beat the heat!

The Best Way to Eat Heirloom Tomatoes

And the simplest...

Summer brings the bright taste of ripe tomatoes and there is no better way to enjoy these fresh jewels but cut in chunks and sprinkled with chopped fresh basil and coarse sea salt.

Oh and a little extra virgin olive oil.

Of course, smell them first. YUMMM!

 

Cue summer.

To enjoy...
Heirloom Tomatoes
Handful of fresh basil (straight from your herb garden preferably!)
Couple Pinches of Coarse Sea Salt (I used smoked sea salt from Mountain Rose Herbs)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (preferably Spanish)

Chop basil. Cut the tomatoes into chunks (or slices if you prefer). Sprinkle with sea salt and chopped basil. Drizzle with Olive Oil. Serve!

Natural Baby Deals on Amazon

It's the season of babies and baby showers. I've rounded up a couple of deals on Amazon to help you save whether you are having a little bundle of joy or putting together a gift for someone who is.

I'll be sharing my recipe for baby shampoo and baby oil in future posts but for now I thought I would post a few baby items to stock up on while they are on sale.



Nurtured by Nature Environmentally-Sensitive Diapers, Size 1, 160 Count
The size one diapers are on sale for $26.76 but if you subscribe and save with an amazon prime account (try it free here), you pay only $21.41 ($0.13 a diaper). Decent price for natural diapers! (The best deal is for the size 1 diapers at this time).


Seventh Generation Thick & Strong Free and Clear Baby Wipes, 384 Count
 There is a $3 off coupon you can clip located under the list price and coupon combined with subscribe and save making these $7.39 for six packages of wipes ($1.23 a package or just under $0.02 a wipe!).

There is also a 50% off Seventh Generation Personal Baby Coupon making Seventh Generation Diaper Cream, 3 Ounce only $4.13 (this is an add-on item so not applicable for subscribe & save and must be added to a purchase of $25 or more).

There is also a $3 off Nature's Baby Organics coupon, making for some inexpensive baby shampoo, oils, diaper ointments, etc. as shown below.


Nature's Baby Organics Organic Diaper Ointment Cream, Fragrance Free, 3-Ounce Tube would be $4.40 with coupon and subscribe and save option.
Nature's Baby Organics Silky Dusting Powder, Fragrance Free, 4-Ounce Container would be $4.96 with coupon (This is an add-on option so no subscribe & save option so must add to a qualifying purchase of $25 or more).
Nature's Baby Organics Shampoo & Body Wash, Vanilla Tangerine, 8-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2) would be $9.14 with coupon and subscribe & save option, making each bottle $4.07! Great for adding to baby shower gift baskets.

You can find more Baby and Child Care Coupons here and here on amazon.

Hope you find some great deals! And if you're interested in more posts like this please leave me a comment below.

Cookies n' Creme Torte (Dairy-free, Gluten-free)

Made in a pie pan, this torte recipe really looks like a large oreo with the top removed. Perfect to bring to early summer barbecues and to share (if you can).

For a real oreo taste, use cocoa processed with alkali. Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa powder (found at some grocery stores or on amazon) works great and makes for a very dark fudge. This time I used raw cocoa powder which is still delicious but doesn't quite have that oreo-like taste.

This torte has three layers - the crust, the fudge, and the whipped coconut cream.

(P.S. If you are a good little chef and put your recipe in the fridge before you eat it then your whipped coconut crème won't puddle but a very pregnant lady couldn't wait for her bite of chocolate amazingness and ate it straight from making it... Just a word to the wise and patient)

Cookies n' Creme Torte
Crust
1 cup pecans
3 TB cocoa powder
3 TB coconut oil
6 large dates

Fudgy Layer
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup agave nectar (or honey for paleo version) + 1 TB
1 tsp vanilla extract of Seeds out of 1/3 vanilla bean (save remainder seeds for whipped coconut crème)
As pictured below

Whipped Coconut Crème
Seeds from 2/3 of a vanilla bean (or use 2 tablespoon vanilla extract)
1 can heavy coconut milk (or Trader Joe's coconut crème), left in cool area or fridge overnight
2-3 TB agave nectar, powdered sugar, or stevia drops

Instructions
1. Process crust ingredients in food processor until a sandy texture. Press into pie plate or spring-form tart pan.
2. Process fudgy layer ingredients in food processor until completely smooth. Pour over crust and refridgerate.
3. Meanwhile, make the whipped coconut crème: Scoop out crème from the top of the can. There should be quite a bit with a little bit more coconut water in bottom (save this to extend coconut crème or for smoothies). In large mixing bowl, beat coconut milk on high until whipped. Add vanilla and sweetener to taste and continue whipping. Pour on top of fudge layer and refridgerate.

ENJOY!