One of the downfalls of this ‘strange time’ we’re going through has been the stay-at-home time for me which means there are snack temptations at every turn. Plus there has also been some boredom which is so easy to fill with eating!
I have therefore been stocking up with healthier snacks rather than imagining for just a moment that I can bypass them (unfortunate word association there). So I have plenty of fruit to hand, some nuts, some protein crisps/chips and beef jerky but also been exploring some other options.
Here’s one that I have found useful – and very simple it is too. Just jelly cubes set with fruit in an ice cube tray that you can pop out for a mouthful of fruity goodness at little calorie cost. The jelly is stronger than normal strength so they set firmer (although not as firm as a ‘wine gum’).
I have used an easily-obtained packet of sugar free jelly crystals but for those of you out of the UK simple use a standard tablet, box or sachet that makes a 500 ml/1 pint/2½ cup regular jelly but with just 200 ml/7 fl oz/¾ cup water.
I haven’t tried stirring protein powder into the cooled jelly for extra protein but my guess is that it might well work too – let me know if you find it does and what you used and quantity. As it stands 1 cube already had 1 g per cube!
Until next time, stay safe, healthy, vigilant and alert!
3-Ingredient Fruity Jelly Cubes
If you’re looking for a fun snack for kids this summer, try these super easy 3-ingredient jelly cubes. Pick your favourite combinations of jelly and fruit for a fun, low-sugar sweet treat.
Mix
In a jug, mix together your chosen flavour of jelly (we used orange) with the boiling water until all the crystals have dissolved. Set aside to cool until slightly thickened. Alternatively, follow the instructions on the packet of your chosen jelly but reduce the water to 200 ml/¾ cup.
Divide
Divide the fruit between the holes of a silicone ice cube tray. This will fill about 14 holes depending on size.
Pour
Pour the jelly over the fruit and up to the top of each mould. Chill for 1 hour or until set.
Serve
Pop the jellies out of the tray to serve – you may need a palate knife to help ease them out.
Makes about 16 jelly cubes
Top tips
Silicone ice cube trays make it easier to remove the jellies. If using a plastic mould, lightly brushing with vegetable oil will make the cubes easier to remove.
Fruits such as kiwi and pineapple will prevent the jelly from setting, so stick to berries and tropical fruit.
Ingredients
You need just 3-ingredients to make these super easy fruity jelly cubes:
23g/1 oz packet Hartleys sugar-free jelly crystals e.g. lime, raspberry, strawberry or orange (see details in intro for non-UK users)
200ml/¾ cup boiling water
80g/3 oz chopped fresh fruit e.g. strawberries, mango, blueberries or raspberries
CALORIES PER CUBE (USING BERRIES): 5
PROTEIN: 1 g
CARBOHYDRATE: 0.4 g (0.3 g sugars)
FAT: 0 g
Image courtesy of http://www.tesco.com