As we slip into warm summer weather and the kiddos begin their summer break, we are featuring Colorado Proud yogurt pops for this month's recipe. June is also National Dairy Month, so let’s chill out with these healthy sweet treats.
Colorado is home to more than 200,000 dairy cattle that provide delicious dairy products for residents in our state and beyond, which makes shopping local easy. If you’re not sure where your grocery store’s milk comes from, use the Where is my Milk From app to find out!
Milk has nine essential nutrients and is considered an important part of a balanced diet. Cows are the center of the dairy farm, so dairy farmers work 365 days a year making sure the cows are comfortable, with nutritious food and clean water, as well as comfortable bedding and regular veterinary care. Dairy farmers also care for the environment. A single gallon of milk is now produced with 90% less land and 65% less water than it was decades ago. And some dairy farms convert their livestock manure into biogas using anaerobic digestion.
Much of the milk in Colorado grocery stores comes directly from our state’s dairies, including producers like Meadow Gold dairy, who have items available in supermarkets across the state. Many Colorado dairies also deliver their products directly to consumers, including Longmont Dairy or Royal Crest in the Denver Metro area. Colorado also produces other animal milk products, including goat and camel milk. If you cannot eat dairy products, you can search for dairy alternatives at coloradoproud.com to find Colorado based companies like Coconut Cloud or DiNochi Dairy Free.
Each month, the Colorado Department of Agriculture features a different ag commodity to highlight the variety and quality of products grown and raised in the state. For June and National Dairy Month, Chef Jason Morse of 5280 Culinary uses Colorado dairy products like Noosa, an Australian style yogurt local to Colorado, to create a sweet treat that complements the warmer weather.
Chef Jason says, “Summertime is here and so is the need for a quick cool down. These yogurt pops should do the trick. Change out the fruit to your favorites and you have a summer smash on your hands! Happy cooking!”
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Yogurt Pops
Chef Jason K. Morse, C.E.C., 5280 Culinary, LLC and Ace Hardware Grill Expert
Yield: 10 popsicles
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 10-12 hours
Ingredients:
- 2 cups - Greek/Australian Yogurt, vanilla
- 2 Tbsp - Dark brown sugar
- ½ tsp - Cinnamon, fresh ground
- 2 Tbsp - Honey, Colorado wildflower
- 1 cup - Banana, fresh, chunks peeled and chunked
- 1 cup - Strawberries, fresh, chunks cleaned, topped and chopped
Preparation Directions:
- Wash all tools prior to use
- Clean and sanitize all cutting boards and prep surfaces prior to use
- Read all manufacturer’s instructions before using grills, ranges, ovens and any cooking tools
Cooking Directions:
- Wash fruit and prepare as shown above
- Add to your blender as follows: fruit, sugar, cinnamon, honey, bananas, strawberries
- Pulse until chopped and mixed or blend until fully smooth
- Using silicone popsicle molds (washed, sanitized and dried before use), divide the mix into the 10 silicone molds
- Add sticks or reusable tops
- Cover and freeze for 12 hours or overnight
- Flex the silicone to unmold the pops and enjoy
- For even faster eating fun… let them temper (soften) for 2-3 minutes
- DEVOUR!
Want to turn these to 21 and older adult pops? Get all the nutrients and the buzz by using Colorado spirits like those from Dryland Distillers in Longmont. Or grab some local fun drinks from Pikes Peak Lemonade in Colorado Springs to cool down with the whole family.
Visit ColoradoProud.org for a complete list of recipes.
