Guest Feature: Homemade Berry Gummies – The Power Of Three
It’s good to be three. Three year olds have a flair for finding fun in every situation. They are masters of turning lemons into lemonade. Rain or shine, three year olds just want to have a good time. There are a few simple things that make my three year old’s world go ‘round. Playing at the park, Mom & Dad, hanging out with friends, and gummy fruit snacks.
Today, I attended my daughter’s Power Tots class. Once per week, she and her classmates learn about fitness and strength through tumbling. At the beginning of each class, the teacher asks the children a personal question. Today, the question was “what is your favorite candy,” to which my “Tot” replied, “CHEWIES!” I knew she was referring to gummy fruit snacks. Then, I had an idea.
Since the arrival of spring, fresh tart berries are abundant at all of the markets and grocery stores. In the spirit of fitness, friends, and seasonal fruit, we decided to check out the local berry selection together. Then, we invited a fellow “Power Tot” over to make our very own gummies out of the berries we found. The recipe requires 4 ingredients: berries, fresh squeezed lemon juice, gelatin, and honey. Gummies can be created and modified with any juice from fresh or frozen, thawed fruit. Using the “My Fruit Shack” gummy mold kit with fresh raspberries and blackberries made it easy and fun. And 30 minutes later, our gummies were delicious…and adorable.
Our “Tots” loved mashing the berries and dropping the liquid into the berry shaped molds. Most of all, they loved eating their tasty gummy creations. In fact, they made a song out of it, “yum, yum gummies in my tum, tum, tummy!” In addition to all of their other talents, three year olds are also excellent songwriters.
My little one continues to teach me lessons every day. The time flies so fast, but she soaks up every moment. She sings, dances, and laughs with abandon, whenever the mood strikes. She let’s go of sadness and she forgives without hesitation. Her spirit is contagious. Turning lemons into lemonade, and now berries into her favorite candy, she is three.
Products Used
Saucepan
Spatula
Heatproof Bowl
Hand Juicer
Fine mesh sieve
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
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Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh or frozen, thawed berries of your choice: raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries... sub 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice to make citrus gummies. Sub 1 cup apple juice +raspberry puree for apple raspberry gummies
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons unflavored gelatin (I use Vital Proteins Grass Fed Beef Gelatin)
- 3 Tablespoons honey
Method
- Cook the berries over medium heat until they release their juices, about five minutes
- Strain the berries or orange juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing against them with a rubber spatula
- Measure out about 1 cup purée and save the remainder for another use
- Stir in lemon juice
- Sprinkle gelatin over the fruit and lemon juice mixture, then set aside to thicken, about three minutes
- Sprinkle gelatin over the fruit and lemon juice mixture, then set aside to thicken, about three minutes
- Warm over medium heat and stir in honey
- Continue to stir until the mixture is back to liquid. Remove from heat before the mixture comes to a boil
- Use a dropper to add the warm liquid into the prepared molds
- Refrigerate 30 minutes before unmolding
- Pop the gummies out of the molds and store in the fridge for up to two weeks
Additional Info
Leigh
Leigh is a Middle School Teacher of French and a Mom to a busy four year old. She loves to entertain family and friends, and prepare daily dishes for her husband and daughter. Leigh’s meals are often influenced by her mom’s love of cooking. Leigh also creates recipes based on her experiences of living and working in the south of France. She often uses food to provide authentic experiences for her students as well. On Fridays, it’s not uncommon to see her students making crèpes and sampling French “fromage,” as part of their lesson. Always inspired by fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients, Leigh’s dishes are simple, tasty, and always made with her family in mind. Her daughter, now three, is an enthusiastic helper in the kitchen. A lover of mealtime with family and warm summer nights, Leigh is excited to share some of her favorite recipes. Follow Leigh on her Instagram account @arecipeforeveryseason
