Guest post: Chocolate Banana Pops!

Today’s guest post is from Jen at The Fit Housewife. The Fit Housewife has some amazing (healthy) recipes and awesome workouts to try. (I can’t wait to try these when I get back from vacation.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi, my name is Jen and I blog over at The Fit Housewife. I’m so glad Anna asked me to do a guest post for her because I want to share one of my kid’s favorite summer snack with you. These Chocolate Banana Pops are so easy to make. Plus, the kids love them but have no idea they are getting a nutritious snack. Enjoy!

What’s better than a cold treat on a hot, lazy day?! I don’t know about your kids, but as soon as the weather gets warm, my kids start asking for popsicles. Last summer, I bought a ginormous box of assorted popsicles at Costco. I gave the popsicles to the kids as an occasional treat. I say occasional because the sugar in store-bought popsicles is high. And the last thing my kids need is sugar! Not only does processed sugar cause a sugar high, but it also causes a sugar crash…which, when you have 3 little boys, ain’t pretty.

So this year, I have vowed to make my own “popsicles” for the boys. And since I’m always looking for ways to sneak some nutrition into my kids, these Chocolate Banana Pops are the perfect summer treat.

Not only are these extremely easy to make, but they are also nutritious. They include a full serving of fruit, as well as omega-3’s, fiber, and antioxidants from being rolled in dark chocolate, Mila, and unsweetened coconut.

Ingredients

8 wooden or plastic popsicle sticks
4 bananas, peeled and halved
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
4 tsp light margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 scoops Mila (or 1/4 cup flaxseed meal)

Instructions

Insert a popsicle stick into the flat end of each banana.

Place the chocolate chips and margarine in a small bowl and microwave for 40 – 50 seconds on high until the margarine and chocolate chips are melted. Stir to combine the chocolate and margarine.

Mix together the Mila and coconut on a piece of parchment paper.

Dip the bananas into the melted chocolate and immediately roll in the coconut topping. Place the bananas on a large sheet of parchment paper.

Once all the bananas are dipped, fold the paper in half to cover and wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour, before serving.

You can wrap them individually and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

My kids loved these Chocolate Banana Pops! Of course, I loved that they were eating something yummy yet nutritious. And, since they only take 10 minutes to make, I highly suggest you make them for your kids…and even sneak one for yourself when they aren’t looking.