Photo: elisabet.s / Flickr

The ice lollies and ice creams sold at the corner cafe are not the best way to cool down this summer if you’re health conscious. Besides being packed with sugar, they’re also full of colourants, flavourants and preservatives. It’s really easy to make your own version of the popular summer snack, though, and your children will love them. Here are some low-fat super healthy summer lolly recipes. All you’ll need is a blender, some fresh fruit, lolly moulds, and wooden sticks you can pick up at any supermarket.

Watermelon and mint lollies

Blend two cups of watermelon (leave in the seeds – they’re an excellent source of protein and antioxidants) with a tablespoon of honey, a tablespoon of fresh mint leaves, a cup of low-fat yoghurt and a dash of cinnamon. Place in the moulds, and freeze. Watermelon and mint ice lollies make a fabulous palate-cleansing dessert.

Chocolate banana lollies

Photo: elisabet.s / Flickr

Blend two bananas with three tablespoons of yoghurt and some vanilla extract until smooth. Put the mixture into lolly moulds and place in the fridge. Melt 60 grams of high quality chocolate into tablespoons of fat free milk. Leave the chocolate to cool for five to ten minutes, and then top up your lolly moulds with the mixture. The kids will love these ice lollies, and they’re so yummy you won’t feel deprived at all.

Raspberry cappuccino lollies

For a more grown-up ice lolly treat, try this gorgeous mixture of raspberry and coffee. Blend two tablespoons of chocolate syrup (you can get a healthy version of this treat at a health shop) with about a third of a cup of espresso (decaf is fine), three quarters of a cup of low-fat chocolate milk, a cup of fresh raspberries and one and a half cups of low-fat yoghurt. Place in your moulds and leave for a good few hours until set.

Just about any smoothie will make a good ice lolly mixture. Take a look at some gorgeous smoothie recipes here.

Tags: blender, healthy recipes, smoothie recipes