A mentor of mine once said, “The best way to take an herb is the way you remember it.” At WishGarden we strive to make herbs accessible to everyone. While our pump caps generally make taking herbs a breeze, sometimes finding a creative or tasty new way to consume your herbs can be the reminder you need, especially when children are involved!
Personally, I love sweet treats on a hot summer day. Unfortunately, store-bought popsicles can make me get a headache and feel nauseous. Instead, I like to make my own popsicles with fresh juices, spices and natural sugars. You can pack a therapeutic (and tasty) amount of spice into these popsicles and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time. Here are a few mouth-watering recipes.
Prep for herbal ice creams
You can prepare these items ahead of time to make herbal popsicles in no time.
Honey simple syrup: Combine equal parts honey and hot water, stirring until completely dissolved. I like to use local honey whenever possible as it can help combat seasonal allergies. Honey is also considered cooling and moisturizing in Chinese medicine, an added benefit to these summer treats! Avoid sugar? Try using monk fruit instead.
Moisturizing infusion: Combine 1 liter of water with a handful of local marshmallow root, oat straw or Siberian elm. Let it soak in cold water for at least three hours (or even overnight). All these herbs have a cooling effect, making them perfect for summer. These herbs are also slimy, meaning they can be poured into cold water to “thicken” it slightly, creating a juicy, moisturizing substance. This cold infusion can hydrate your skin, hair, and nails from the inside out – something no amount of lotion can do! Mucilaginous herbs can also help soothe any abdominal complaints. Once this infusion is made, the rest is easy!
Here are two fun recipe ideas. Each makes about 10 popsicles.
Lavender Lemonade Herbal Ice Creams
All photos © Gem Boehm-Reifenkugel
Ingredients:
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup honey simple syrup
- 1.5 cups Moisturizing Infusion
- 1 pinch of Himalayan salt per popsicle (for extra electrolytes and another hydration boost)
- 5 pumps of WishGarden Herbs Cranial Comfort per ice cream
- Fresh lavender (optional)
Combine all ingredients and pour into popsicle molds. Freeze and sprinkle with fresh lavender before serving. (This is optional – you’ll also get a lovely lavender flavor from our Cranial Comfort formula.)
Strawberry Fields Herb Popsicles
Sometimes when I’m craving sweets, I want something creamy. At times like this I like to add a little coconut milk to the mix. Many herbs are best absorbed with food or fat; Plus, the coconut milk contains brain-healthy fats that can also help smooth out the glucose spike from the sugar in the Honey Simple Syrup.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup Moisturizing Infusion
- 1 cup Strawberries
- ¼ cup honey simple syrup
- 1 teaspoon. Turmeric Powder (Many of the benefits of turmeric are not soluble in water, so adding the powder directly to your food or treats can be much more beneficial than adding it to tea.)
- 6 pumps of WishGarden Herbs Rise & Shine Energy Boost per ice cream
- Sesame or flax seeds for extra fiber (optional)
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend to a creamy consistency. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.
You can easily customize any of these recipes with different herbs, juices and WishGarden formulas. Some of my other favorite combinations are Liquid Bliss and Chocolate, Genius Juice and Almond Milk (tastes like horchata from the cinnamon), and Exercise & Revive and orange.
You can also replace any herbal formulas mentioned with our child or pregnancy formulas so that they are safe for everyone in the family.
Have fun snacking and stay cool this summer!
Gem Boehm-Reifenkugel (she/her) is an herbalist on our customer journey and social outreach team. Gem has been self-educating about nutrition for years and recently received a certificate in medical herbalism from the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism. She strives to make herbs accessible to everyone and spread knowledge about our powerful plant allies to the community.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
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