Coconut Lime Paletas

Summer calls for a refreshing treat but all conventional ones are far too sweet! Enter the simple and sophisticated paleta, a traditional Mexican dessert that is all natural and so delicious. Prepped in 5 minutes with a handful of ingredients and highly adaptable, this is an easy recipe to keep around all season long!

Prep Time: 5 minutes + 2 hours

Cook Time: 0 minutes.

Makes: 4-6 servings (depends on your popsicle molds)

Ingredients

2 avocados, deseeded & scooped from skin (or 2 cups frozen avocado pieces)

1 cup coconut milk

2 Tbsp honey (adjust to taste)

Juice of 2 limes

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Pinch of himalayan salt

A 6 unit popsicle mold with stems or popsicle sticks

Instructions

These frozen treats are a hybrid of popsicles and ice cream, fresh and creamy. They contain very little natural sugar, loads of healthy fiber, healthy fat and plant nutrients, so calling them popsicles really doesn’t do them justice. The ice pops originated in Mexico as a delicious way to beat the heat, and are generally either water or dairy milk based. 

We have made the best of both by combining creamy avocado with rich coconut milk and added a little zest with lime juice. They are sweetened with a touch of honey and you can sweeten the mixture as much as you like (for non WildFitters) or take it out entirely for Spring season. You may also easily change up the flavor by substituting the avocado for any other fruit or the lime juice for any other juice and spice. Pineapple with cinnamon is my favorite alternative.

Simply remove the avocado flesh from it’s skin and plop it in the blender. If you don’t have avocados in season, two cups of frozen avocado is a fine swap and adds to the creaminess and decreases setting time. Add the coconut milk (or other alternative milk) to the blender next. Coconut milk is high fat and fiber, so if using an alternative make sure it is homemade for best texture.

Next add the lime juice. Try to make sure it is only the juice and not the pulp, otherwise the mixture may have a bitter undertone. You can also easily use lemon if they are more available to you. Finally add the honey, vanilla and salt. A touch of salt enhances the flavour. Blend everything for 1-2 minutes until a creamy, smooth texture is formed. The mixture will be thick so scrape down the sides and tap often to remove air bubbles. 

Taste the mixture and adjust the flavours as you wish. The flavors are meant to be subtle in this particular recipe, but you can of course enhance them as you wish. Once you are satisfied with the flavours, spoon the mixture into popsicle molds evenly. Depending on the size of your molds you will have 4, 6 or even 8 paletas. Tap the mold on the counter several times to remove as many air bubbles as possible. Finally insert the sticks into the mixture. 

Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours until set. Enjoy! You can also pour the mixture into a container and set for 1-2 hours, creating a lovely alternative ice cream.