Vegan Mango Popsicles and the Joy of Summer Fruit
Summer in Israel brings more than heat and humidity. It also brings an incredible lineup of sweet, juicy fruit.
Do you realize how lucky we are?
Right now, the markets are overflowing with watermelons, grapes, prickly pears, peaches, figs, mangoes, lychees, and so many other ridiculously delicious fruits.
Fruit can be a good source of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and water. It also contains fructose – the sugar naturally found in fruit.
Yes, that sweetness comes from sugar, which is a carbohydrate and contributes calories.
So before we buy out the fruit stand, let's remember that portions still matter, even with fruit.
Yes, it's possible to overdo it on mangoes, too. The mango belly is not the summer look I'm going for. (Hopefully, this isn't breaking news.)
When I ended up with an absurd amount of perfect mangoes from the tree my grandmother planted on her farm back in the 1930s, I did what any sensible person would do in my situation. Besides working on that mango belly, of course:
Vegan Mango Popsicles
These pops have protein from silken tofu, 6 grams of fat each, and no gluten (because, well, why would they?). And they have that creamy ice cream texture—minus the dairy.
One makes a delicious, vegan alternative to the frozen treats in the grocery store freezer.
__________________________________________
When should you eat one?
A popsicle makes a great late-night snack when you're craving something sweet and want to keep it under 200 calories.
Or try one for your 4 p.m. or 10 a.m. snack break.
If you're counting fruit servings, count one popsicle as a serving of fruit.
__________________________________________
Nutrition information provided by Noam Bachar (an Israeli nutritionist and fitness coach):
Per popsicle (makes 10):
140 calories
3.3 g protein
19 g carbohydrates
6 g fat (including 0.5 g saturated fat)
Optional toppings:
Dark chocolate coating:
Adds 50 calories
Coconut flake coating:
Adds 30 calories
Vegan Mango Popsicles
Ingredients
- 3 fresh mangoes medium
- 1 package silken tofu 340 g (12 oz)
- 3 tablespoons silan (date syrup)
- 1/3 cup almond butter or tahini 3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
-
Cut the mango flesh away from the pits, remove the peel, and transfer the fruit to a blender.
-
Add the remaining ingredients and blend until completely smooth.
-
Don't worry if the mixture tastes a little too sweet. It will taste less sweet once frozen.
-
Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until solid.
A Few Notes
Want to dress them up?
Dark Chocolate Coating
Melt 200 g (7 oz) dark chocolate in the microwave. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil until the chocolate is fluid enough for dipping. Dip the frozen popsicles into the warm chocolate, then quickly return them to the freezer until the chocolate shell sets.
Coconut Coating
Dip the frozen popsicles into coconut flakes to coat, then serve.
