Frozen Cosmo Popsicles

INGREDIENTS

3 c. cranberry juice

1/2 tot. triple sec

1 tot cranberry flavoured vodka

freshly squeezed lime juice

6 fresh cranberries

DIRECTIONS

Combine cranberry juice, triple sec, vodka, and lime juice in a bowl. 

Place one cranberry in the bottom of each mould. P

our in juice mixture until moulds are 3/4 full. 

Place lids on moulds and freeze at least 3 hours, or until frozen.

Mojito Watermelon Pops

INGREDIENTS

2 c. pineapple juice

1/2 c. tequila

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 c. grenadine

2 limes, sliced

DIRECTIONS

Add sugar, mint, and lime wedges to bottom of a large dish. Using a muddler or the back of a spoon, break up mint and lime to release mint oils and lime juice. Pour rum over and stir to combine.

Add watermelon to rum mixture and let soak 1 hour. 

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove watermelon from rum mixture and brush off any mint leaves. With a paring knife, make one small cut into rind of each watermelon wedge and gently push popsicle sticks into place. Arrange in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Freeze until solid, at least 2 hours. 

Serve watermelon popsicles garnished with lime zest and chopped mint.

Tequila Sunrise Pops

INGREDIENTS

2 c. pineapple juice

1/2 c. tequila

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 c. grenadine

2 limes

DIRECTIONS

Place 9 dixie cups on a small rimmed baking sheet. In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together pineapple juice, tequila, and lime juice. Pour into dixie cups until they are ¾ full, then pour about 1 teaspoon grenadine into each mould.

Use a paring knife to create a slit in the centre of each lime slice then insert a wooden spoon or popsicle stick. Place on top of each cup, making sure there is no room between the mixture and lime slice. 

Freeze until solid, about 4 hours.

When ready to serve, cut open Dixie cup with scissors and peel them away from the pops. Enjoy !

Bloody Mary Pops

INGREDIENTS

2 c. tomato juice

2 oz. (1/4 c.) vodka

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. pickle juice

2 tsp. hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

Juice of 1 lime

10 celery sticks

flaky sea salt, for garnish

2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, hot sauce, and lime juice. Carefully pour mixture into popsicle moulds, then insert a celery stick into each pop.

Freeze until solid, about 6 hours.

Run warm water over moulds to loosen popsicles. Sprinkle each popsicle with flaky sea salt and Old Bay, then serve immediately.

Gin & Tonic Pops

INGREDIENTS

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 c. tonic water

1/2 c. Gin

Juice and zest of 1 lime

12 lime slices

12 dixie cups

12 popsicle sticks

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl or glass measuring cup, combine sweetened condensed milk, limeade, tonic, gin, lime juice and lime zest. Whisk until smooth and fully combined. Divide mixture among 12 dixie cups. 

Insert a wooden spoon or popsicle stick into the centre of each lime slice and top on each cup, making sure there is no room between the mixture and lime slice.

Freeze until solid, at least 5 hours and up to overnight.

When ready to serve, cut open the Dixie cups and peel them away from the pops. Serve. Enjoy !

Grilled Peaches and Ice Cream

This recipe is for Grilled Peaches, but it’s the exact same for nectarines, yellow or white! You could also use apricots! Sky’s the limit. They get grilled which brings out the flavor even more and you get little caramelized bits that are like little pieces of happiness. Add to that a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of sea salt and some ice cream – nothing can compare! 

INGREDIENTS

2 ripe peaches

2 ripe nectarines

canola oil

8 large scoops vanilla ice cream

Honey and sea salt for finishing

DIRECTIONS

Heat grill to medium high heat.

Brush the peach and nectarines halves with a touch of with oil and place on the grill for a few minutes and then rotate 90 degrees to continue to cook for about 3-4 minutes total grill marks appear and the fruit starts to caramelize.

Remove from the grill with a pair of tongs and serve with a scoop of ice cream in the centre of the fruit. 

Drizzle with honey and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Enjoy!

Grilled Salmon Skewers

Cubed salmon threaded onto skewers alternating with lemon slices and served with basil vinaigrette! It just feels like the most quintessential summer dish. It would go perfectly along with a fresh green salad too.

INGREDIENTS

8 wooden skewers

1kg fresh salmon 

3-4 lemons

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette

1 shallot roughly chopped

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves stems removed 

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Soak the wooden skewers in water for at least an hour.

Heat your grill to medium high heat.

Cut the salmon into cubes and slice 3 of the lemons into very thin slices either with a sharp knife or with a mandolin.

Alternate threading the salmon and the lemon slices on the wooden skewers, about 5-6 pieces of salmon per skewer. 

Drizzle the skewers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze 1/2 of the remaining lemon juice on top.

Using a pair of tongs, carefully transfer the salmon skewers to the preheated grill and grill for about 3 minutes on each side until the salmon is almost fully cooked through. 

Remove the salmon skewers from the grill and let rest for about 5 minutes to let the salmon just continue to cook.

For the vinaigrette

Combine all the ingredients for the basil vinaigrette in a high powered blender and blend for 60 seconds until very smooth.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately. Or you can refrigerate the vinaigrette for up to 3-5 days.

Watermelon Jicama Salad

The perfect no cook, easy to make, super delicious, perfect for a hot day (we could go on forever), salad! And best of all you can feel good about stuffing your face with this one – it’s 100% healthy 

INGREDIENTS

1  jicama cut into matchstick pieces

4 cups watermelon in 2-inch chunks

1/3 cup roughly torn fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice

1/4 cup Lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Combine the jicama and watermelon in a large bowl with the fresh mint.

In a small bowl, whisk together the citrus juice and honey and drizzle it on top of the watermelon. 

Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Enjoy !