I made these Salted Pudding Pops, gave one to each of my kids, and played a fun little game. It was called “Guess What Fruit or Veggie Is in the Pudding Pop.” Maybe you’ve heard of it? No? Well, it’s a good one.
They each wrote down their ideas of what was in this tasty pop, all the while licking and nib- bling away. Their ideas were: banana, dates, zucchini (spelled “zukeeni”), and squash. But they were pretty much grasping at straws because all these cold treats taste like are . . . pudding pops. With no trace of fruits or veggies.
When I told them what the ingredient was (AVOCADO!), they were blown away. And then they asked for another pop.
If you don’t have eight ice pop molds, you’ll need eight 4-ounce wax paper cups and eight flat Popsicle sticks.
12 Pitted Dates, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
3 avocados
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup unsweetened chocolate pieces
20 drops Liquid Stevia
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 tablespoon coconut oil
coarse sea salt
Drain the dates, discarding the soaking liquid, and peel the thick date skins—they should flake off easily.
In a food processor, combine the dates, avocado flesh, cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla. Process until very smooth, wiping down the sides of the food processor every few minutes. This can take up to 10 minutes, so be patient.
Divide the pudding mixture among 8 ice pop molds or wax paper cups. Insert a Popsicle stick into each pudding cup and place in the freezer for an hour.
In the meantime, melt the chocolate shell ingredients in a lazy man’s double boiler, mixing until smooth. Remove the frozen pudding pops from their molds. Dip the pops into the melted chocolate mixture until fully coated. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and return to the freezer for 30 minutes, until frozen through.
Calories: 280
Fat: 10g
Carbohydrates: 31g
Sodium: 87mg
Fiber: 10g
Protein: 9g
Sugar: 15g