Turning a large batch of smoothie into popsicles was a no-brainer for me. It is ice cream season in this hemisphere and cool treats are so welcome. I made an extra large smoothie with strawberries and bananas and froze it in popsicle molds. The star of these pops, though, are basil seeds. Basil seeds (sabja or tukmaria) are traditionally used in India and other Asian countries in drinks and desserts like falooda, kulfi and sherbet. Basil seeds are cooling and hence a welcome and necessary addition to summer drinks. You can add them to smoothies, puddings, yogurt or any iced drinks. Basil seeds should be soaked 30 mins before use and they tend to become soft and grey. There are several benefits to adding basil seeds (minerals, fiber, plant compounds) to your food and you can use them just like chia seeds.

This is a very simple recipe and does not require 57 steps or 39 ingredients. Just add the chopped fruits and fruit juice to the blender, soak basil or chia seeds, pour all into molds and slurp on these treats when you need some cooling off.

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Step by Step

1. Soak 2 tbsp of basil seeds (or chia) for 30 mins in 1/2 cup water.
2. Peel and chop 4 ripe bananas
3. Wash, core and chop 16 oz strawberries
4. Place the bananas and strawberries in the blender, add 2 cups of fruit cups and mix till smooth and frothy.

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5. Add the basil seeds to the smoothie.
6. Gently pour into popsicle molds, add sticks and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours.

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Some Tips

You can skip the basil or chia seeds completely, I added basil seeds for their cooling benefits.

If your molds are upright, you can pour the prepared smoothie into the molds. After about 2 hours, poke a stick through each mold and allow to freeze completely before serving.

When they are completely frozen, you can remove the pops from the molds and place in ziploc bags to clear up space in the freezer and to retain their freshness.

I have been treating myself to these for a late breakfast on hot summer days.