LONGAN RASPBERRY PEACH POPSICLES
Description
Recipe Sponsored by Karuna. All opinions are of my own.
Happy 4th of July weekend!
I know you are anxious to pull out the grill and enjoy some BBQ, but it’s also important to stay cool and hydrated during those fun events. As I posted yesterday featuring The Shared’s Skillet Agave Lemonade, this summer will center around a #HydrateYourself theme. Hydration is a key to both health and building curves because water helps transports nutrients to your cells.
Our second post in this series is homemade Popsicles using 3 simple main ingredients ; peaches, raspberries, and Karuna’s Fruity Longan Drink.
Both peaches and raspberries are plentiful during late June early July which makes it a perfect treat in time for the holiday. I am a huge advocate of following Mother’s Nature’s eating plan.
As you know I support Karuna Drinks because of it’s low sugar and exotic quality ingredients. (Refer to Aronia Blueberry Syrup). Longan fruit is another food Karuna introduced me too. Longan Fruit (pronounced long yan rou )is native to southern China and Burma. It means “dragon’s eye meat” in China which is fitting because the flesh part kind of reminds you of the white part of an eye ball.
Fun facts about Longan Fruit
It helps reduce stress
High in minerals like magnesium which is great for bone health
Great for eyesight (I guess it looks like that for a reason)
Rich in Iron
Great for promoting energy for sexual activity (everyone wants that 
)
I do have a confession to make. When I first made these Popsicles, tho they tasted amazing, I struggled with getting them out the mold lol So being the impatient person I am, I used a little too much hot water to loosen them up and they melted before I could enjoy them as an actual “Popsicle.” It was more like a smoothie (sighs). So heads up, be a little more careful and patient than I was.
Vegan Curve Building Properties:
Karuna Fruity Longan drink is the curve building star. As mentioned above, the Longan fruit is rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium. We tend to only think of macro nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) as the only thing needed for building curves, but minerals are vital in making sure your body actually absorb those nutrients. Iron helps transports oxygen throughout the muscle tissue. Magnesium helps with physical energy, proper nerve and muscle function.
Appliances used in this recipe:
For more of my recommended cooking tools, visit the resource page at MUST HAVES APPLIANCES IN A VEGAN KITCHEN
Happy Independence day everyone! Enjoy your holiday!
Quinoa & Kale Stuffed Squash with Karviva’s Ashitaba, Dark Cherry & Pomegranate Juice
- Serving size: 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F
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Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper
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Cut the squash in half lengthwise and then drizzle with oil (on both sides) . Place each squash half face down on the baking sheet. Add a few small splashes of water to the baking sheet (this helps to add moisture while cooking)
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Place the squash in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes (until you can poke a hole through the skin and it is fork tender). Once it’s completed, remove from the oven and set aside for a few minutes.
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In the meantime as your squash bakes, add 1 cup of quinoa to a pot, with 2 cups water
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Allow the quinoa to come to a boil, and then place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer on low for 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit with the lid on for 10 minutes. Then fluff with a fork.
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As the quinoa is cooking, remove the seeds from your pomegranate, and dice the 1/2 onion, and chop the kale, and parsley.
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Heat a pan on the stove top with a drizzle of oil, then add the diced onion along with a pinch of sea salt. Allow to saute until golden brown.
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Once the quinoa is finished, place it in a large bowl and add a generous drizzle of olive oil along with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Then add the cooked onion and fresh chopped kale, and parsley. Mix until well incorporated.
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Next add ½ cup of Karviva Ashitaba, Dark Cherry & Pomegranate Juice to the quinoa mixture, and mix well throughout
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Taste test the quinoa mixture and adjust accordingly. If you’d like it saucier, add an additional few Tbsp. of Karviva juice. If you’d like it saltier, add a touch more sea salt.
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Now it’s time to stuff your squash! Firstly, remove the seeds from the flesh of the squash with a spoon. You can discard the seeds or save them to use at a later time.
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Place the prepared quinoa/ kale/ pomegranate mixture into each of the squash halves
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NOTE: if your stuffed squash have cooled more than you’d like for serving, pop them back into the oven for 5-10 minutes to reheat (do so before garnishing)
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Garnish with pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and a drizzle of tahini if desired
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Enjoy!
