Summer Delight

May is coming to a close pretty quickly! The weather has been spiking every once in a while, but what ever will we do when it's just flat out HOT??!!! And, you're vegan on top of it?? Oh, my!!

But wait!

I have a really delicious solution just for you! Actually many. Muahahaha!

So, without further ado, let's dive into these sweet icy treats that'll make this Summer's heat a little more bearable. And, you guessed it! Every single recipe listed below is 100% vegan! I hope you enjoy reading this list as much as I enjoy putting it all together, wrapped with a nice bow, just for your consumption (both figuratively and quite literally).

1. Healthy Kiwi & Pineapple Popsicles!

INGREDIENTS:

2 bananas

2 handfuls of spinach

2 kiwis

3 dates (pitted)

1 c pineapple

1 tsp chlorella (you can get this from various vitamin/ health stores or on Amazon. It's not necessary for these pops, but adds a little extra boost of various nutrients and vitamins.)

2 peaches

1 1/2 c of water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put all ingredients (excluding 1 kiwi) into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

2. Cut the kiwi into very thin slices and put the slices in the popsicle molds. They will only stick on the inside if they are really thin.

3. Carefully add the smoothie into the popsicle molds, add a popsicle stick to each one, (You can find popsicle molds in kitchenware sections of stores or kitchenware stores, or amazon. Many of them already come with a lid and stick that's washable, but if it doesn't have one, you can put saran wrap over the filled popsicle molds and pop a stick into each hole.) and freeze them for about 12 hours.

4. To get the popsicles out of the molds, just put the popsicle molds under hot running water for 20-30 seconds and enjoy!

2. Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES:

1 c brown sugar

1 c creamy peanut butter (no stir) {there are several options in stores that are natural and organic.}

1 Tbls maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 c oat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 c almond milk

2 Tbls dairy-free mini chocolate chips

BANANA ICE CREAM:

4 ripe bananas

1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed)

3/4 c almond milk (divided)

1 Tbls maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS:

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES:

1. preheat oven to 350° F.

2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, combine/ mix the peanut butter and brown sugar for about one minute. Add in the vanilla extract and maple syrup and mix again to combine it all together.

3. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, add oat flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix together.

4. Slowly, add half the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture and mix well. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix everything until fully combined. Add almond milk and mix again.

5. Add the mini chocolate chips and gently mix the cookie dough with a spoon (you could also mix with your hand if that's easier).

6. Next, you want to divide the cookie dough in half. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Press in half the cookie dough. You want your cookie dough to cover the entire pan in a thin layer.

6. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. It may seem underdone at first, but it will harden up a bit as it cools, and then it will harden even more in the freezer. Lift cookie out of the pan with the parchment paper and set on a cooling rack.

7. Repeat the same process with the 2nd half of cookie dough. Let ice cream sandwich cookies cool.

BANANA ICE CREAM:

1. Cut the bananas into small pieces and freeze for at least two hours.

2. Add the soaked cashews to a blender with 1/4 c almond milk. Blend for about 30 seconds to a minute, until it becomes a creamy texture.

3. Then, you want to add the frozen bananas, maple syrup, and 1/2 c almond milk and blend until you get a creamy mixture (about 2-3 minutes). You might need to adjust the bananas from time to time to make sure that the blades are getting to all of them.

ICE CREAM SANDWICHES:

1. Line the 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper. Carefully flip the peanut butter sandwich cookie upside down (this isn't necessary, but looks a little prettier on the other side). Slowly slide cookie onto parchment paper. Evenly spread banana ice cream on top of the cookie. Carefully slide the other peanut butter cookie on top of the ice cream.

2. Place in the freezer for at least two hours. When ready to eat, take out of the freezer, cut into desired sized bars, and enjoy.

Note:

If you leave sandwiches in the freezer overnight, you might want to let them thaw for a few minutes before diving in.

3. Watermelon Popsicles with Cucumber and Lime.

INGREDIENTS:

3 c cubed watermelon

1/2 cup sliced cucumber (peeled)

Juice of 1 lime

2-3 Tbls pure maple syrup (or agave) (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and puree until smooth.

2. Pour carefully into popsicle molds and insert sticks.

3. Freeze for 3-4 hours or overnight.

4. To un-mold, run molds under hot water for 20-30 seconds and pull gently on the sticks to remove popsicles from the mold.

4. Healthy Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:

2 c pitted frozen cherries

3-4 pitted soft Medjool dates

2-3 Tbls cocoa powder

3/4-1 c almond milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend on high for a few minutes using the tamper to push the ingredients down into the blades, until smooth.

2. Use fewer dates if you want it less sweet, or vice versa.

3. Use just enough almond milk because using too much will make your ice cream runny.

4. Serve and enjoy!

5. Or if you want to save it for later, store it in an air-tight container and when you're ready to eat it, let it thaw for a couple of minutes before diving in!

5. Avocado Lime Popsicles

INGREDIENTS:

1 avocado

1 banana

1 c coconut cream {an easy way to make this is by refrigerating a can of coconut milk for 8 hours or overnight in an airtight container like a mason jar. The next morning, be careful not to shake the milk when removing the lid and scoop out the cream on top. You can reserve the liquid for other recipes.}

1/4 c maple syrup

1/4 c lime juice

zest of one lime

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut avocado length-wise, remove the pit, and scoop out avocado flesh using a spoon. Place in a high-speed blender or food processor.

2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides.

3. Pour into popsicle molds evenly and freeze for about 6 hours.

And that's that!

I hope that you all enjoyed this list! I thought this was the perfect list of recipes to create in the middle of May! Summers can become unbearably hot at times and, hopefully, these recipes will help it be a little easier to cope with. It's perfect for the whole family to enjoy with the perfect amount of natural sweetness and the perfect amount of good-feel healthy energy. You can rest easy that your loved ones are handling their cravings while getting lots of nutrients and vitamins at the same time.

As always, if you liked this article, please, consider giving me a heart and, while tipping is never necessary, it's always appreciated greatly. Thank you so much for the reads. Have a happy Summer with your happy freezing!