Blackberry, Maple Syrup, and Yogurt Pops.

With another heatwave on the way, now is the perfect time to start making your own healthy, frozen treats. Many of the nearby farms have plenty of local berries ready for picking and this will help you create a fresh, sweet pop.

There are many recipes on the internet for making your own popsicles. Popsicles are the new cupcake it seems. Unfortunately, many of them include sugar. There's really no need for any sugar as the fruit is already pretty sweet. I find it best to use a small amount of honey or maple syrup. Maybe it's sweet enough with just the fruit. Just try your concoction before adding honey to see if you even need it.

I picked the blackberries from the yard this afternoon. My two-year-old daughter loves the berries and she has plenty of stained shirts to prove it.

The blackberries were here when we bought this property. It's just shy of 1/2 an acre with incredible views of Mt. Greylock. We also inherited a pear tree and an old concord grape arbor. The rumor is wine was made here and other types of booze during prohibition. The house was built in the 1920s. The rumors might be true as we found an old still under the grape arbor.

Mt. Greylock at sunset. View from our yard.

These blackberry bushes have been around for some time. This is evident as they certainly do not look like the strange giant ones you'll find at the grocery store.  And boy, are these seedy! The first time I picked them I made this perfect pie. Crust was from scratch; the whole nine yards. Sadly, my husband and I took a few bites and had tons of seeds stuck in our teeth. Such an awful sensation and they don't come out easily. It was a seed pie. We couldn't eat it. It is a sad day indeed when you have to throw out a pie.

For blackberries and raspberries, you can use a food mill to strain out the seeds or a colander.

Blackberry, Maple Syrup, and Yogurt Pops

1 banana
1 cup of blackberries (or fruit of your choice)
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Put all of the ingredients into a blender and use a low setting until smooth. Divide the mixture into six molds. You should have about 4 ounces in each mold. After 10 minutes in the freezer, poke a popsicle sticks into the center. Place them back in the freezer until frozen solid.

And here's Estelle sneaking a taste before they go in the freezer. 

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