originally published June 2018
Things are about to get berry-licious around here. This is great news if you love strawberries, and awful if you dislike them, or worse—are allergic to them. Forgive me, and know that in the case of these Strawberry Violet Popsicles you can easily swap in your berry of choice.
I hit my tipping point a few days ago with my usually awesome the girls. I'm not even being sarcastic when I write that last bit—mean it whole heartedly. Sure, they drive me crazy like kids tend to do, but most moments I feel like I hit the mama lottery. They're kind, compassionate, and loving humans.
Except for when they recklessly eat bread on the sofa just after I vacuumed and cleaned the living room.
I can just see Michael rolling his eyes from beyond, thinking, "Recklessly? Really, Jennifer?" My usually calm Sunday morning vibe morphed into Dr. Jekyl. Thinking back, it was kind of funny to see them move faster than I've ever witnessed, as they scurried to clean the crumbs.
I stand by my momentary lapse from sane mommy into monster mommy because, well, I JUST CLEANED THE HOUSE. ALONE.
Of course, that last part is on me, and served as a reminder to get them involved with cleaning more than just their room. I firmly believe if they have to clean, they'll be more mindful of how and where they eat. Much as I assign chores, we start out strong, then things get lax, and I slip back into my overwhelmed state of feeling like it's too much for one person to handle alone.
So, these Strawberry Violet Popsicles are really peace pops—my way of saying I forgive you for making a mess. You didn't really think I was going to apologize, did you?
You'll need violet syrup to make the recipe as listed below, but no worries if you didn't get to make any this spring. You can easily swap in a liquid sweetener of your choice—honey, agave, even maple syrup. I haven't worked with stevia a whole lot, so can't comment on how much of that you would need, though I do know a little goes a long way. I'm growing stevia in my garden this year, so expect to see some more experiments with it in the future.
Be sure to taste your strawberries before you get started. Sweet, super ripe berries might not need as much, and tart berries might demand more.