Popsicles are one of my favourite treats to make during the summer. They take 15 minutes or less, they’re super refreshing and when made with whole, fresh ingredients, they’re healthy!
Whenever I’m in Chinatown, I always seem to find myself in the same place – staring at the display of exotic fruits. I’m always intrigued by the unique colours and shapes that are so different than any of the fruit I had ever seen (or tasted) growing up. Dragon fruit in particular, which can look a bit intimidating from the outside with all of its tentacle like leaves, is actually one of the prettiest fruits once you cut into the flesh. I always find myself exclaiming with a couple of ‘ooohhhs’ and ‘aaahhhs’ when I slice into one. I think that’s another reason why I love tropical fruits so much, there’s always a surprise!
Did you know that dragon fruit is actually the fruit of a cactus?! The flowers bloom at night and are pollinated by bats and moths for a short period (who would’ve thought?!) There are many different varieties that range from sour to mildly sweet, the latter being the type that you can usually find in your local grocery store. The colours of the flesh range from white to light pink to bright fuchsia, all of them dotted with tiny (edible) black seeds.
Dragon fruit has a similar taste and texture as a kiwi. The flavour is mild/subtle while being only slightly sweet (red dragon fruit tend to be a bit sweeter than white). They also have a high water content similar to watermelon, making it a refreshing and hydrating summer fruit!
When choosing a dragon fruit pick one that is brightly coloured and has a little give to it when you push into the flesh. If it’s hard it’s unripe, but if it’s too soft it will probably be bruised or mushy inside (imagine choosing an avocado).
For this recipe I use one white dragon fruit and one red dragon fruit. Some grocery stores will label the colour variety, but not always. Generally red dragon fruits are usually more round and plump while white dragon fruit tend to be a bit slimmer and long.
If you haven’t tried dragon fruit before I highly suggest that you scout out a specialty grocery store and pick one up! Besides being refreshing and delicious they’re also good for you too! They’re high in phytonutrients and antioxidants like vitamin C and B’s, good fats (from the tiny seeds) and calcium. In some places they’re considered a superfood because of their immune boosting and anti-aging properties.
Looking For More Popsicle Recipes?
- Ginger Lemonade Popsicles
- Strawberry Matcha Yogurt Popsicles
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Popsicles
- Easy Citrus Popsicles
These Dragon Fruit Popsicles are a simple, refreshing, healthy and delicious summer treat to cool down with! Thanks so much for stopping by and happy eating always!
Dragon Fruit Popsicles
Ingredients
- 1 large white dragon fruit
- 1 small red dragon fruit
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Scoop out the flesh of the white dragon fruit and place into the blender. Pulse a few times until it is smooth being careful not to over blend or else all of the seeds will become pureed. Taste and add sweetener if desired. Pour into 6 popsicle molds filling them 3/4 of the way up. Put in the popsicle sticks and freeze for 1 hour or until firm enough to pour the red layer on top.
- While the popsicles are setting scoop out the flesh of the red dragon fruit and blend. Set aside. When the white layer is firm enough, pour the red dragon fruit puree to fill up each of the molds. Place back in the freezer for 1 hour or until frozen. To remove the popsicles let sit at room temp for 5-10 minutes or pour some warm water over the bottom of the mold. Enjoy!
Notes
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