A couple weeks ago my husband and I took a short vacation to celebrate all things May that for us includes a birthday, wedding anniversary, and mother's day. In true planner / packer fashion, I dutifully pre-cooked and froze as much as possible [including 20+ smoothies], packed an arsenal of road snacks [including these and this and these], and cleaned the house to as spotless as a toddler and farm will allow [trust me, this is much more appealing to come home to and worth the effort]. All of this preparation allowed for plenty of time to hike, explore, lounge, beach, and simply enjoyed the beauty that is Sleeping Bear Dunes while soaking up some good ol' fashion family time. Our daughter was in her glory having the constant attention of both parents!
The area that we stayed hosts a small little chocolate delicatessan that alone is worth the drive. Creativity weaves itself in everything they do but what really gets me is that their products are fair trade, organic, and made with as many local ingredients as possible. If you have been in the area it is quickly apparent that supporting the local farmers is a lifestyle not a marketing tag line.
The real reason I mention any of this is that while driving by this small shop [that we of course visited later], I noticed a sign out front that touted homemade fudgsicles. Not only did my pregnancy-driven "must have immediately" dial crank to high but a total frustration with having a dairy intolerance set in. Talk about a mood buster. A fudgsicle flavored cloud set in and, as we passed, all I could think was "Arrrggghhhh!!!!!".
Fast forward a week or so and, although the toddler like tantrum has warn off, the craving still goes strong. Mix that with couple of high 80, low 90 degree days and, wala!, the motivation necessary to come up with a fabulous treat of my own.
As a former lover [and clearly a present dreamer] of fudgsicles, I admit I was really skeptical that any attempt to mimic these classic favorites of mine could actually succeed. Let's just say I proved myself wrong. Craving indulged - check, check and check! The best part? My toddler-age daughter can enjoy these along side me as a special summer treat and I can give them to her knowing that she is getting some pretty awesome nutrients with no added "junk" [ie. flavors, colors, preservatives, sweeteners, etc.].
May you never have to go back to boxed iced fudge [and the body bullies that they hold]. And of course, happy Memorial Day everyone! Enjoy!
[THE RECIPE]1 3/4 c. homemade nut milk [or 1 1/2 c. water + 1/2 c. nut of choice - I love walnut or cashew milk / nuts]
3 tbsp. raw carob powder
2 pinches of Celtic sea salt
1/3 c. coconut oil, melted
6 dates
2 tbsp. freshly ground flax seeds
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend on high until very smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until solid.
Once frozen, run popsicle mold under warm water to release.
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