Mango Lime Smoothie Popsicles

Mango Lime Smoothie Popsicles – Bright, tropical flavor, a nutritional punch from greens, and a velvety-smooth texture make these green smoothie popsicles the perfect summer treat. 

One aspect of autism I don’t talk about much on the blog is Sophie’s sensitivity to food textures. Her sensory processing issues can make eating difficult, and sometimes the texture of food is enough to make her sick. While this is a more extreme example, most moms of toddlers (and children of all ages) know a thing or two about picky eating. Whether it’s a texture thing, a taste thing, or an “I’m exerting my independence” thing, many children pass through a picky eating stage.

We’ve worked with several feeding specialists as part of Sophie’s therapies, and while most of the specialists are not fans of the “hide inside” veggie technique (think adding peas and carrots to macaroni and cheese), every single one we have worked with has recommended smoothies as a great way to add some extra nutrients to Sophie’s diet. It works like a dream!

We’ve been blending up smoothie concoctions and freezing them into popsicle molds for about two years now, and Sophie’s tried them all. Sure, she has favorites (hello, homemade fudgecicles), but I find that neither she nor 18-month old Milo minds a little of spinach blended into their smoothie one bit. Smoothie popsicles are a snack we all feel good about and one we make often.

In the past few months, Sophie’s texture sensitivity reached an all-time high and she was only eating a few select foods. It was very difficult and stressful trying to help her eat, and she was often fussy and tired because she was hungry but couldn’t stomach the texture of food. I started saving for a high-speed blender, hoping that the smooth purees would be easier to eat.

Thanks to my good friend Melissa, I got brave enough to contact Blendtec directly to see if they wanted to work together. They were kind, friendly, and great to work with. They sent me a refurbished Blendtec to try out and I’ve been SO happy with it! The touch display is easy enough that 3 year old Sophie can operate it (which delights her to no end) and the velvety-smooth smoothies, sauces, and dips we’ve made so far have been smooth enough for her to eat (which delights ME to no end). AND I get to put that saved money to use where we need it elsewhere.

These mango lime smoothie popsicles are divine, and the perfect vehicle for blending in some greens. Even if your children are veggie-averse and balk at the sight of green veggies, I doubt they’ll have any issue with a green lime popsicle. The mango and orange flavors are sunny and bright, and you can add as much lime juice and zest as you like. One lime’s worth will give you a subtle citrus punch to cut through the sweet mango. Two limes’ worth will make lime the predominant flavor. You choose! We polished the whole recipe off in no time and have really enjoyed experimenting with more green smoothie popsicle flavors.

We love these popsicle molds that make twin popsicles, perfect for little eaters who might not be able to finish a big popsicle on their own.

Final note on the recipe: Certainly a high-speed blender makes blitzing greens easier, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry! My Pre-Blendtec trick was to blend my greens and juice or milk together before adding the rest of the ingredients to the blender. The greens broke down into smaller, smoother pieces. You might have to scrape down the sides a few times, but I find things work themselves out just fine this way.

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Disclosure: Blendtec provided me with this refurbished blender to try out, but the glowing review is all mine.