Valentine Strawberry Yogurt Ice Pops

These were SO easy and fun to make.  I made them with my two and a half year old son who enjoyed making them as much as he enjoyed eating them.  They are just the perfect little Valentine's activity to do with your little one.  The best part, there are only two ingredients!  Well, three if you add in the sprinkles and lets face it, what kid doesn't love sprinkles?!  They are also a super healthy little treat and perfect if you have an ice cream lover like I do.  My little one spends a large chunk of his day in our freezer.  I don't buy ice cream because between my husband and son I would never be able to buy it fast enough.  I think he opens the freezer in hopes that ice cream will one day just appear.  (Like it does at his grandparents houses).  Anyway, I'm constantly thinking up new mixtures of fruits and veggies to freeze.  I usually mix whatever left over fruit I have in the fridge in a blender and freeze which he totally enjoys too.  These little guys though, he completely devoured in just a few days and I'm attributing his extra special love for them by the fact that they have sprinkles in them.  Also, they are pretty tasty!
Go ahead, give them a try. I guarantee you and your little one will have a blast making them together.

You will need...
One bag of frozen strawberries (about three cups) or you can use fresh strawberries as well just cut all stems off
3 cups of yogurt.  You can use any kind you like.  I used french vanilla.  (Coconut is really yummy too!)
Sprinkles
Dixie cups (or ice pop molds)
Popsicle Sticks

Here's what you do...
First, set up three bowls.  Place 1 and one half cup of the yogurt in one bowl and add sprinkles.  Mix together.  Place the additional 1 and one half cup of yogurt into the second bowl.  Leave the third bowl empty for now.  Blend the strawberries in a blender with about 1 cup of water.  (It's better if you let them thaw out for a little bit).  Once the strawberries and water are all blended together place half of the mixture into the second bowl with just the yogurt and place the remainder into the third empty bowl.  (Third bowl just just have the pure blended strawberries)
Now you are ready to fill your cup!(This is where you can put your little one to work!)
Use a spoon to fill up 1/3 of the dixie cup with the yogurt and sprinkle mixture.  (I was able to fill 8 dixie cups)  When you have all the cups filled up, pop them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes to set.  Then, take them out to add in the second layer.  Spoon in the combined yogurt and strawberry mixture which was in your second bowl (should be a pinkish color).  Place the same amount of each mixture in so that when they are complete you will have pretty, colorful, even layers.  Pop them back in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.  Take them out and add in the last layer, your strawberry mixture.  Place a popsicle stick in the middle of each cup, about half way down.  Pop them back in the freezer for at least 4 hours to ensure they are completely set and frozen.  When they are done you simply peel off the dixie cup and enjoy!
Happy Valentine's Day!

Trader Joe's Favorites

If you're a Trader Joe's shopper than you will totally just get this post.  If not, well head to your local store just once and I swear you will instantly become obsessed!  If you are on Long Island, I highly recommend the Westbury Trader Joe's store.  It's located in the new "Gallery at Westbury Plaza".  I live way closer to another one but I make the trip to this one because I just feel like it's bigger, brighter and they carry way more inventory than the others.  Although I believe this is the best one of their stores, I wouldn't go anywhere near there on a weekend afternoon.  Weekday mornings and afternoons are a lot more quiet.  If you can't get there during those times then after dinner hours on the weekends aren't too bad either.
Anyway, I love this store because they truly have some of the best products that you can not get anywhere else.  They also have the best selection and cheapest prices when it comes to organic food.  It's one of the few stores I can walk out of with tons of bags full of fresh, wholesome, organic products and not have spent my entire life savings on it.  My bill is actually always lower than what I had anticipated, which almost NEVER happens especially when it comes to food shopping.  They also have an awesome selection of frozen foods.  I'm not one to ever buy frozen food, but when I head down the frozen food aisle of Trader Joe's I can't seem to fill my cart up fast enough.  They have a ton of frozen organic vegetables that I love to stock up on and use in a pinch.  Their meat is also really, really good meat.  They don't have a whole lot of sales on their meat but it's worth spending a little bit more on because you know it's good.  (I hate when I buy bad meat)  They have amazing marinated meats too that you can just throw in your oven or pan fry and its ready to serve.
I could go on and on forever about how much I love this store and all it's deliciousness.  I could also probably list every item on their shelf about being awesome BUT I've narrowed it down to a few of my favorites.  These are the items that I never go to Trader Joe's and leave without.  If you haven't tried these, you should.  I promise you will love them.

Dunkers
Those chocolate chip dunkers are seriously the best cookies EVER (right next to Tate's cookies of course).  I couldn't figure out the mystery of what made them taste so unusually amazing until I read all the ingredients.  Coconut.  It doesn't have a super coconutty taste but just enough to make a chocolate chip cookie perfectly different.
Organic fruit
I love their organic fruit mostly because it's SO cheap.  Most of the time it's only about 20 cents more a pound for organic which is not bad at all.  It's awesome for mommy's like me who make their own baby food.  I buy a ton of organic fruits and veggies, cook it, blend it then freeze in large batches.
Yogurt squishers
I keep these guys in the fridge frozen and my son eats them like ice pops.  (I actually have to hide them deep in my freezer or my son, no joke, would eat the whole box in one day.  He's a total yogurt lover.)
Mandarin Orange Chicken
If you buy any frozen food at Trader Joe's, let this one be it.  This one actually tastes just like real orange chicken that you would get at your local Chinese restaurant.  It's really yummy and really great for a quick dinner or lunch.
Mac and Cheese
It's really creamy.  Enough said.  Also, they now have a reduced guilt version that is good too for only $1.99!
Coconut Flakes
Awesome little snack.  I throw them in when I make my own trail mix.
Alphabet Cookies
I'm attributing the fact that my son knows his entire alphabet to these cookies and Sesame Street.  He loves to tell me each letter he is eating and I am currently trying to teach him how to spell his name with these.  They also have numbers in them which is fun too!  They are not only educationally a good choice but they're really yummy too with a hint of cinnamon in them.

Mini Ice Cream Cones
These are great for little ones who can never seem to finish a whole ice cream cone.  They are also a great little treat if your dieting.  They're super tiny but perfect if you need just a little something sweet to get by.  Perfect for portion control!
Queso
Really good and surprisingly not that fattening at all.
Organic Fruit leather
My son LOVES these.  Maybe it's because I told him they were candy or maybe because they are just awesome.  I keep them EVERYWHERE, my kitchen, the car, my pocketbook.  Anytime he gets cranky I toss him one of these guys.
Giant White Beans
Throw these in with some sautéed spinach or kale and you have a perfect, really healthy, iron and fiber filled side dish.
Burrata
If you have never had this before.  Stop reading this immediately and go get some.  It doesn't even matter where.  Just get some.  It is the most amazing thing in the world.  Well, mostly for all us Italians.  You can eat it as is but I love it over arugula salad with some roasted tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.

Mini Churros
Need I say more?  The package explains it all.
Spicy Thai Style Pasta Salad
Perfect for an on-the-go lunch.  I LOVE this stuff.  If you are into thai food you should def try this one.
Zucchini Fries
I dip these little guys into Sweet Baby Rays "special sauce" (not sold at TJ's but awesome with these fries).
Bambino Pizza
These are the perfect little size for toddlers and there really tasty too!

There you have it.  My favorite products from my favorite store.  Am I missing anything good?  What are your favorites?