batidos. batidos. batidos! (the latin american milkshake!)

In total, I've spent about a year of my life living and working in Latin American countries, learning to live life at a different speed than we do here in good ole' America. I've brought a laundry list of life lessons and cooking skills home from these adventures, but the simple joy of fresh fruit batidos might be the absolute best piece of latin life I've integrated into my days here at home. 

In Ecuador, where I spent time most recently, I like to think batidos are a way of life. My host mom would make either a batido or a fresh juice for me each and every morning with breakfast, and any day spent on city streets would surely include at least one or two stops for a quick batido - the best way to beat that equatorial heat (okay... well... it might be tied with ice cream, because who can argue with ice cream when it comes to beating the heat?). 

If you're not already familiar with them, you're surely wondering what a batido is by now! I like to think of them as a healthy version of a milkshake, or just a super simple creamy smoothie. In Ecuador, batidos are made with just fresh fruit, milk, some sugar, and maybe a little vanilla. They come in an endless number of flavors, and you can always order them with water instead of milk, but then you're approaching juice rather than amazing milkshakey goodness! 

Batido stands are a dime a dozen, and you can almost always order your batido in a glass and saddle up to one of the barstools at the stand to enjoy your treat right there. This is a great way to chat with the locals, but I believe the real batido magic comes when you order it to go. They pour your batido into a plastic bag, stick a straw in it, and tie a knot around the straw - it's a little awkward the first time around, but you surely learn to love it! 

Instead of using fresh fruit, I like to make my batidos with frozen fruit to give them a super cold, thick, milkshake like quality. I've been known to toss fruit in the freezer right after buying it at the farmers market in order to achieve this refreshing and cold wonder! 

I'm including a list below of some of my favorite batidos to make at home, which use easy-to-find fruits, but feel free to experiment with your favorite fruits! I've included the optional addition of sugar in some of the recipes, which is how batidos are made in Latin America, but they are just as tasty, and much better for you with the sugar omitted! 

sweet black cherries make a simple batido free of added sugars! 

instructions: 

For all of the below ingredient lists, just put everything into your blender and blend on high until smooth! I have a high powered vitamix blender, so if you ever run into a problem with the mixture being too thick for your blender, just add a splash more milk! 

These are written to make a hefty serving for one, but you can increase the amounts as you please to serve more! You'll also notice that most of these recipes are pretty darn simple, which is why I stopped at 4 versions. That said, you should definitely experiment with your favorite fruits! Some other awesome batidos would include: blackberry, mango, passionfruit, raspberry, apricot, the list is endless! 

ingredients: 

Banana Batido (An Ecuadorian Classic): 

1 banana (fresh or frozen) 

2/3 cup whole milk 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

note: bananas are so sweet, they               really don't need any added sugar

Blueberry Batido: 

1 cup frozen blueberries 

3/4 cup whole milk  

1 Tbsp sugar (optional) 

---

Cherry Vanilla Batido: 

1 cup frozen or fresh sweet cherries 

3/4 cup whole milk 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

note: you could use frozen tart cherries for this, which are easier to find pre-frozen, but you would need to add a heafty amount of sugar to the mix to sweeten it ! 

Strawberry Batido: 

1 cup frozen strawberries (piled high, especially if the berries are large) 

3/4 cup whole milk 

1/2 tsp vanilla

note: this is one of my favorites, as it is so reminiscent of a strawberry milkshake! Strawberries vary a lot in their sweetness, so do add a bit of sugar if your berries are on the tart side! 

simple strawberry coconut popsicles!

Before we dive into these divine popsicles, I just want to let out a quick I'm sorry! I've been letting this blog go by the wayside for the past week or two, and am definitely going to continue to do so for at least three or four weeks more. You see, I'm moving across the country in just two short weeks and taking an amazingly wonderful few weeks to do so! In the meantime, I’ll do my best to share a few quick and easy recipes with you. And when I return, there will be a brand new (to-me) 1920s kitchen for our continued exploration together! 

I sure am going to miss the crystal blue waters of Lake Michigan! 

This road trip of ours will start of course from our dear home in Traverse City, Michigan. We’ll spend an evening saying farewell to my family just a short trip north in Petoskey, then head to the shores of Lake Superior where we’ll spend a night (and a bit of exploration!) at the Porcupine Mountains before heading on to the Apostle Islands in Minnesota where we’ll explore magnificent cliffs and caves via kayak. Then it’s onward to Duluth for 4th of July celebrations with family and friends before making some big progress westward and away from our beloved great lakes! 

The Presque Isle River, from my last visit to Porcupine Mountains! 

The western adventures will start with a quick stop in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, then the main attraction of a week in Montana! Montana will bring camping and day-hikes exploring the wild of Glacier National Park, and a long weekend with a few old friends in Butte where the Montana Folk Festival will be happening. 

While there may not be blog posts, there will surely be a million and a half photos of the adventure - so come follow along on social media while we make our way west! You can find me most actively on Instagram and Facebook.  #tootsweetgoeswest

Now… a million paragraphs later, for the popsicles! I’ve made these before in a number of different variations, including roasting the strawberries and toasting coconut flakes to mix into the coconut layers. They’ve always tasted great, no matter what variations I take on - but for this recipe, I wanted to simplify things and make these something you can throw together in less than twenty minutes. 

You see, I’ve been writing a monthly piece for The Awesome Mitten - featuring a different awesome local Michigan ingredient each month. The post always includes three recipes for that ingredient which are super simple and require very few ingredients. For June, I just had to choose strawberries (because really, what else is worthy of the produce-of-the-month title?). So here we have it - super duper simple strawberry coconut popsicles! 

Ingredients: 

1 quart strawberries, greens removed

1/2 tsp ground vanilla, or 1tsp vanilla extract

1 – 14oz can of coconut milk (use the full fat kind!)

1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions: 

Puree the strawberries and vanilla with a blender until totally smooth. If you’re picky about seeds, strain through a fine mesh sieve. I never take that step, and the seeds are not very noticeable in the final product. 

In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk and maple syrup until no clumps of coconut cream remain.

Using a small measuring cup or spoon (or just pouring), layer strawberry puree and coconut milk into popsicle molds. Unless you use a small spoon and do this very very gently, they’re going to swirl together, and that’s alright! I think they taste best when you get a bit of coconut and a bit of strawberry in each bite! I usually aim for two layers of each in every popsicle.

Let freeze until fully solidified (overnight will do it), then enjoy! 

wholesome homemade fudgesicles

Sometimes (read: all the time...), I have one of those days when the mere thought of a specific treat or food triggers an instant jump into the kitchen to make whatever it is I'm craving. That's what happened when I started thinking about making my own homemade fudgesicles. I've made tons of fruity popsicles in my day, but this was my first foray into something more creamy. And I must say, I'M HOOKED! This will surely be the jumping off point for many a creamy popsicle to come. 

Because really, let's be honest, we all want a freezer-full of popsicles when those hot summer days come along by surprise. And we'll all be a little happier if that includes fruity pops, creamy pops, and chocolatey pops. Lots and lots of chocolatey pops. 

I may have eaten two already today... thankfully I made them mini-sized so I don't feel so bad when I decide one isn't enough. YUM! 

These pops offer all the creamy chocolatey goodness of fudge pops from the store, with none of corn syrup and other weird ingredients I don't like to put into my body (and you shouldn't either!). 

Simple wholesome ingredients like chocolate chips, whole milk, and organic cane sugar come together quickly for these tasty treats. 

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup chocolate chips or 2oz bar chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup cane sugar 

2 Tbsp tapioca starch (you could use corn starch as well, this is just what we had... pantry clean out and all) 

3 Tbsp raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder 

2 1/2 cups whole milk 

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract (I used ground vanilla, but I know that isn't something most folks have) 

Instructions: 

Whisk together sugar, tapioca starch, cacao powder, salt, and milk in a medium saucepan and place on burner over medium heat. 

While the mixture begins to warm, melt the chocolate chips. You can do this in the microwave or in a double boiler, just be sure to stir frequently if you do it in the microwave! 

Once the chocolate is melted, whisk it into the milk mixture. 

Continue warming the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it has thickened into a pudding-like substance (though it won't get quite as thick as pudding). 

Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla. 

Let cool slightly, then fill your popsicle molds and freeze. If you don't have popsicle molds, you can use small cups or jars and popsicle sticks. Just let the pops freeze for about half an hour, then insert the sticks so they'll stand up straight!