I LOVE sunny SoCal weather. Now that I live on the Westside and am near the coast, generally, the air isn't as dry and it's much cooler, especially in the evenings. I really have nothing to complain about and am reminded of this every Saturday when we drive into the Valley and it's at least 10 degrees hotter.
But there are still times, such as this past week, in which the heat gets oppressively stifling. Walk out of the office and it's like being knocked out by a wall of heat. When I get home after work, it's like entering an oven and I can feel my brain immediately start to melt. It's too hot to do anything remotely productive but yet there's a pile of things waiting to be done!
What to do? I find it really helps to have a batch of popsicles ready! They are perfect for when you first come through the door, for cooling down before you start making dinner, as a dessert after dinner, and just whenever you feel like one throughout the night. As you can probably tell, I go through a lot of them in this heat.
But there are still times, such as this past week, in which the heat gets oppressively stifling. Walk out of the office and it's like being knocked out by a wall of heat. When I get home after work, it's like entering an oven and I can feel my brain immediately start to melt. It's too hot to do anything remotely productive but yet there's a pile of things waiting to be done!
What to do? I find it really helps to have a batch of popsicles ready! They are perfect for when you first come through the door, for cooling down before you start making dinner, as a dessert after dinner, and just whenever you feel like one throughout the night. As you can probably tell, I go through a lot of them in this heat.
I prefer popsicles over icecream because...
And I prefer making my own popsicles because...
- they usually don't leave you feeling as thirsty
- you can make them dairy-free (I'm lactose-intolerant, though I usually ignore that when there are specialty icecream flavors calling my name) and
- they have less calories (which ends up being important at the rate I consume them).
And I prefer making my own popsicles because...
- it's cheaper than buying them from the store
- you know exactly what's going in them (did you know "natural fruit juice" bars usually have some form of corn starch in them? @_@) and
- you can make the exact combinations that you like (I loveee grapefruit)!
FRUIT/JUICE POPSICLES
Super easy. Basically, the frozen version of your favorite juices. You can add in some chopped fruits if you want.
Super easy. Basically, the frozen version of your favorite juices. You can add in some chopped fruits if you want.
1. Delicious organic lemonade in popsicle form. SO REFRESHING!
2. Grapefruit juice with kiwi pieces. A hit with family and friends who tried it.
3. [not pictured because those were eaten by Pris & David] Grapefruit juice with mango pieces.
2. Grapefruit juice with kiwi pieces. A hit with family and friends who tried it.
3. [not pictured because those were eaten by Pris & David] Grapefruit juice with mango pieces.
MAKE-IN-THE-BLENDER POPSICLES
1. Nutella + banana makes for the most deliciously creamy popsicle. You really only need those 2 ingredients!!
2. This is the popsicle version of my typical morning smoothie. Ingredients: soy milk, banana, strawberries, blueberries. Healthy, right?
I am so grateful for my popsicle mold right now (and it was only $1.50 at Daiso!) :D
2. This is the popsicle version of my typical morning smoothie. Ingredients: soy milk, banana, strawberries, blueberries. Healthy, right?
I am so grateful for my popsicle mold right now (and it was only $1.50 at Daiso!) :D