Fruit and cold match for summery treats

Is there any kid left in you? If so, these recipes are sure to tantalize.
By ALLISON ASKINS
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Slippery, slurpy ice pops.
Is there a treat that better captures summer's frivolity?
Not in a child's eyes, for sure.
The frosty snacks refresh and satisfy with each icy bite.
Lick fast or the chilly delight will trickle down your chin and chest -- but then, isn't that half the fun?
One splash in the pool and the sticky, brilliantly colored mess will disappear as quickly as the twinkle of a lightning bug on a muggy June night.
Because summer is a season for simplicity, here we offer several recipes for icy treats that are super easy to create.
Wash some sweet red grapes and throw them into the freezer for an hour. It doesn't get any simpler than that, and the cold fruit is sooo tasty, too. Blueberries and bananas also make great frozen refreshments. (Dip the bananas in chocolate to create a little extra thrill.)
But if it's ice pops you want, the possibilities are endless. Fresh strawberries and grapes; frozen cantaloupe and orange juice; lemonade concentrate and strawberries; cranberry concentrate and more grapes.
These yummy desserts can be whirled into smoothies or taken a step further and frozen in molds.
Using fresh fruit makes them vibrant tasting and healthy -- the sweetness of summer, frozen in time.
CRAN-STRAWBERRY ICE POPS
2 cups fresh strawberries or frozen, unsweetened strawberries, thawed
1/4 cup frozen cranberry-juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
In a blender or food processor, combine strawberries, cranberry-juice concentrate, sugar, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons water. Process until smooth.
Pour mixture into individual frozen-treat molds or small paper cups.
If using cups, freeze for about 1 hour, or until mixture begins to set. Insert frozen-treat sticks and freeze until completely firm.
Makes 8 servings.
"The Eating Well Dessert Cookbook" (Eating Well Communications, 1996)
Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 45.1; protein, 0.3 gram; carbohydrates, 11.4 grams; total fat, 0.1 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0 grams; dietary fiber, 0.8 gram; sodium, 0.9 milligram; sugar, 9 grams; vitamin A, 1.5 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 28.3 milligrams; calcium, 7.4 milligrams; iron, 0.2 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams
FROSTED GRAPES
11/2 pounds red or green seedless grapes
Wash grapes and pat dry. Place in freezer for 45 minutes.
Remove from freezer and let sit for 2 minutes before serving.
Makes 4 servings
From "The Eating Well Dessert Cookbook" (Eating Well Communications, 1996)
Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 117.4; protein, 1.2 grams; carbohydrates, 30.8 grams; total fat, 0.3 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0 grams; dietary fiber, 1.5 grams; sodium, 3.4 milligrams; sugar, 26.3 grams; vitamin A, 11.9 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 18.4 milligrams; calcium, 17 milligrams; iron, 0.6 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams
STRAWBERRY-LEMON POPS
2 cups strawberries
2 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate
3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
6 ice-pop sticks
Wash and hull strawberries. In a blender or food processor, puree strawberries with lemonade concentrate and sugar. Pour into disposable plastic cups or ice-pop molds. If using plastic cups, add sticks. Freeze until firm.
Dip cups in warm water to loosen pops before serving.
Makes 6 servings
From "Lemons: Growing, Cooking, Crafting" by Kate Chynoweth and Elizabeth Woodson (Chronicle, 2003)
Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 49.6; protein, 0.3 gram; carbohydrates, 12.6 grams; total fat, 0.2 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0 grams; dietary fiber, 0.9 gram; sodium, 0.7 milligram; sugar, 11 grams; vitamin A, 2 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 29.3 milligrams; calcium, 8.2milligrams; iron, 0.2 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams
SHAKE-ME-UP MELON
1/2 cup orange juice (about 1 orange, juiced and peeled, if using a juice machine)
11/2 cups frozen cantaloupe chunks
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon honey
Pour orange juice into blender; add frozen cantaloupe, orange peel and honey. Blend on high speed until smooth and serve immediately.
Note: Do not serve honey to children younger than 2. Infant botulism may result -- small children cannot handle the bacteria spores that honey can transmit.
Makes 1 serving
From "The Ultimate Smoothie Book" by Cherie Calbom (Warner Books, 2001)
Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 159.6; protein, 2.9 grams; carbohydrates, 38.5 grams; total fat, 0.7 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0.1 gram; dietary fiber, 2.5 grams; sodium, 0 milligrams; sugar, 35.1 grams; vitamin A, 798 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 151.4 milligrams; calcium, 37.2 milligrams; iron, 0.8 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams
PURPLE POWER POPS
2 cups red grapes, rinsed and picked from the stems
1 cup strawberries, rinsed, caps removed
Pour grapes and strawberries into a blender; process on high speed until smooth.
Pour mixture into six 3-ounce ice-pop molds and freeze.
Makes 6 servings.
From "The Ultimate Smoothie Book" by Cherie Calbom (Warner Books, 2001)
Nutritional information per serving: Calories, 44.8; protein, 0.5 gram; carbohydrates, 11.5 grams; total fat, 0.2 gram; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; saturated fat, 0 grams; dietary fiber, 1 gram; sodium, 1.3 milligrams; sugar, 9.3 grams; vitamin A, 4.5 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 19.9 milligrams; calcium, 9.2 milligrams; iron, 0.3 milligram; alcohol, 0 grams.