img class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-2243″ title=”How to Make Herbal Popsicles ~ A Recipe” src=”http://frugallysustainable.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/0162-660×495.jpg” alt=”How to Make Herbal Popsicles ~ A Recipe” width=”660″ height=”495″ />
Looking for a fun and effective way to incorporate more herbs into you child’s diet?
Make herbal popsicles!
These little homemade treats are super refreshing during the heat of summer and they provide a nourishing and immune system building snack the whole family is sure to enjoy.
High-C Herbal Berry Pops
Supplies
–reusable popsicle molds
–blender
-equal parts of elderberries, hibiscus flowers, alfalfa leaf, rose hips to create my nutritious High-C Herbal Blend
-jar or pot
Ingredients
-2 cups prepared High-C herbal tea
-1 cup frozen or fresh berries
-a handful of seasonal greens
-sweetener of your choice
Method
1. Place 3 tablespoons of High-C Herbal Blend in a jar or pot and pour 2 cups of boiling water over the herbs. Steep for 15 minutes in order to prepare a strong tea. Note: Click here to read more about how to prepare a medicinal tea.
2. Strain the tea, reserve the liquid and compost the herbs.
3. In a blender combine the tea, berries, greens, and your sweetener of choice. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into reusable popsicle molds.
5. Freeze.
6. Best enjoyed outside 🙂
Notes
-The High-C blend is a combination of herbs that I love due to it’s antioxidant content, nourishing properties, and significant level of vitamin C — all of which strength the immune system and boost the body’s ability to protect itself (even assisting the skin in it’s ability to provide natural sun protection).
-When making an herbal infusion for popsicles you’ll want to make it strong by using double the herbs that you normally would.
-Get creative! Any combination of herbs can be made into a tea and then frozen into popsicles. This is a great way to administer herbal infusions to children.
Mountain Rose Herbs and the Bulk Herb Store are my go-to online shops for all of my medicinal herb needs.
I’ve just found your blog – it’s great, will be checking in again! These ice lollies look delicious : )
I home ed my son and it’s always lovely to read about other peoples journeys.
What a great way to get kids their needed herbs when they are sick, especially w/ sore throat.
*anna
YES! Perfect for all kinds of illnesses! Sweeten with raw, local honey and wow…these are a powerhouse remedy 🙂
So Great! I was just pondering how to get my 3 and 1 year old to drink a nice cup of tea when they are sick!! This would be perfect as they love popsicles any time of year. Would be great for fevers too!! My only question is why would you want to make it 2 times the strength, especially if it will be children eating it? Thanks Andrea!
Great question Ashley…double strength because the fruit and greens dilute the strength of the tea. And if you’re going through the trouble of making them, you want to be sure that they are effective 🙂 Additionally, the dose of the tea that is in each pop is very small. Enjoy 🙂
Is the Hy-C blend one of your recipes or is it available commercially?
Oh it’s just something I made up 🙂 I simply combine equal parts of elderberries, hibiscus flowers, alfalfa leaf, and rose hips in a jar and store it in a cool, dark place. Then I use 3 tablespoons of the herb mixture and steep it in 2 cups of water to make the tea. I encourage you to get creative and use what ever herbs you have available!
Thank you so very much <3
Andrea, I love this, thank you for sharing! I am making a grocery list now. I have never bought some of these ingredients before (just the elderberries which I used for my elderbery syrup here:http://blog.mom4life.com/healthy-living/homemade-elderberry-syrup/) so thank you for giving me an excuse to broaden my horizon (and our families health)!
🙂 Have fun 🙂
Opps should have typed High-C
I was just brainstorming about making popsicles! Now I just have to find some popsicle molds…thanks for the inspiration as always. I don’t know how you find the time to have such a lovely blog! I know how precious time management is with three little ones of my own. Definitely appreciate you taking the time to spread the wealth of information you have 🙂
Another question for you Andrea! Rosehips? Can it be from any type of rose? I’ve got an in full bloom bush in my yard that I believe is a wild bush (the kind that open with only four or five petals and last for about two weeks). Would those work? The hips are pretty small. When would be the right time to harvest sine they are ALL blooming now? Thanks!
Oh these sound lovely! I bet a simple strawberry mint flavor would also be wonderful.
What kind of seasons greens do you use?
Just what ever I have in the garden…right now it’s a bit of chard, parsley, purslane, and the last bit of kale.
Do you have any idea how much vitamin C is destroyed by the heat of the water when making teas and infusions/decoctions? I find it confusing when a particular herb is included for its vitamin C content and then it is steeped in boiling water. Have you figured out this particular puzzle piece?
Have not…I pretty much accept what others far wiser and more experienced than me have discovered. A word to that though…when I steep or infuse herbs I never do it in actively boiling water. By that I mean, I boil the water in my kettle then I take it off of the heat and pour it over the the herbs in a jar. The water is constantly cooling and I see it as a method to release the medicinal chemicals in the plant material.
I know this…that they work 🙂 But I too would like to know exactly how and why.
Well, the kids can have these if they want, but I’m making them for me 🙂
Hi Andrea;
I love your concept and ideas, but you have to be careful with mixing herbs. You have to research the different herbs you want to use. Some herbs don’t mix and they can become TOXIC. People PLEASE do your research! You can buy books on herbs or ask at your local herbal store.