A good friend of mine recently recommended a great cookbook by Giada de Laurentiis: Giada’s Feel Good Food.  I’ve tried a few recipes, most of which have been very, very good, and here’s my most recent find that I felt was especially blog-worthy.  As usual, I like it because it’s a fairy easy, healthy, and is a tasty summer dessert.  It takes some time to freeze, but other than that, it’s a quick recipe. Landri hasn’t tried it yet, but I have a feeling that it will be a HUGE hit with her.

Strawberry and Blueberry (Ladybug) Pops
1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered (I just cut the stems out and threw them into my Vitamix whole)
1/4 cup fresh OJ
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp honey (I used agave nectar to make it vegan)
1 cup fresh blueberries (and I don’t think I even needed this many blueberries, actually)
Special equipment: 2 ice cube trays and popsicle or cake pop sticks

These are red with dark blueberry spots that make them look like ladybugs.  They are pure fruit with a little bit of honey (or agave nectar) to sweeten them. Fantastic on a hot day (and makes about 22 pops).

In a blender, puree the strawberries, orange juice, lemon juice and honey until smooth.  Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray, filling each cube about three quarters full.  Push some blueberries into each cube cup.  Freeze for 1-2 hours in order to partially set the filling.  Insert a stick into each cup and freeze until firm, another 4 to 5 hours.  Twist the ice cube trays to remove the ice pops and serve!