Mood: Being Indian is an integral part of my identity. My country has shaped me into the person I am today & I hope to give back to my nation through my own unique contribution in the future:) Having grown up in a diverse, democratic & secular nation like India has truly defined my values, opinions & world view. I’m extremely proud of the beautiful diversity in my country. With an incredible variety of languages, religions, cuisines, traditions, national heritage and natural beauty – India truly is an inspiring melting pot of cultures:) This diversity is what defines us; it is the very fabric of our identity. It is our biggest strength and our greatest pride. On this Independence Day, I hope that the people of my country will continue to protect, cherish and celebrate the fact that our unity indeed lies in our diversity:) I’m really missing India/home today, on the Indian Independence Day (15th August), & I made these Indian National Flag Themed Popsicles to celebrate the national holiday in my own unique way in LA:) Infused with the flavours of Mango, Vanilla-Pecan & Ginger-Spirulina, these Orange, White & Green Vegan Chia Seed Popsicles are a healthy take on the breakfast dessert indulgence:) Simple. Nutritious. Refreshing. Wholesome. Deliciousness:) Whether you make these as a special treat or use them as breakfast meal prep for the week ahead, I hope you enjoy this fun, healthy & colourful recipe:) And finally, Happy Independence Day to all my Indian brothers, sisters & friends across the world:)
Time: 10 Minutes Prep Time + 30 Mins Setting Time + 8-10 Hours Chilling Time
Serving Size: 9 Popsicles
Category: Breakfast; Dessert
Author: Animagus Eats
Ingredients:
Chia Seed Pudding Base
• 2 cups Coconut Milk (Full Fat)*
• 1/2 cup Chia Seeds
Mango (Orange) Layer
• 1/2 cup Chopped Mango (ripe/fresh)
• 1/8 tsp Vanilla Essence
Vanilla-Pecan (White) Layer
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 2-3 tbsp Maple/Agave/Brown Sugar/Jaggery Syrup (to taste)
• 3 tbsp Pecans (toasted/chopped)*
Ginger-Spirulina (Green) Layer
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp Spirulina Powder (to taste)*
• 1-2 tbsp Maple/Agave/Brown Sugar/Jaggery Syrup (to taste)
• 1/2-1 tsp Ginger Powder (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Essence
Garnish
• Unrefined Brown Sugar
Equipment
• Blender
• Popsicle Molds*
• Popsicle Sticks*
Method:
Chia Seed Pudding Base
1. Add the coconut milk & chia seeds to a bowl & combine well.
2. Divide the mixture among three bowls, roughly 3/4 cup per bowl. One of the bowls will have a slightly lesser quantity of the chia mixture & you can use this for the Vanilla-Pecan (White) Layer.
Mango (Orange) Layer
3. Add the chopped mango pieces to a blender & blend them into a smooth purée.
4. Add the mango purée & vanilla essence to one of the chia mixture bowls & combine well. Set aside for later.
Vanilla-Pecan (White) Layer
5. Add the maple/agave/brown sugar/jaggery syrup, vanilla essence & chopped pecans to the bowl which has the slightly lesser quantity of chia mixture & combine all the ingredients well. Set aside for later.
Ginger-Spirulina (Green) Layer
6. Add the maple/agave/brown sugar/jaggery syrup, spirulina powder, ginger powder & vanilla essence to the final chia mixture bowl & combine the ingredients well. Make sure the spirulina powder is mixed properly & ensure that there are no lumps. Set aside for later.
Assembling the Popsicle
7. Let the three chia mixtures rest for about 30 minutes so that they can thicken & gel up. Once they are thick/creamy, you can start assembling the popsicle:)
8. Using a spoon, pour about 1 tbsp of the Mango mixture to the bottom of the first popsicle mold. Next, add about 1 tbsp of the Vanilla-Pecan mixture, followed by the Ginger-Spirulina mixture at the end. Make sure you leave a little space in the mold (leaving room for the popsicle to expand in the freezer). Fill the mold just beyond the 3/4th mark (do not fill to the brim). Repeat this process for all the popsicle molds, dividing the mixtures equally across all the molds. If you like, you can make the mango layer thicker than the vanilla-pecan/spirulina layers, because this layer add more flavour to the popsicle:) The mango layer adds sweetness/fruitiness, the vanilla-pecan layer adds a neutral creaminess & the ginger-spirulina gives an earthy kick:) Place the popsicle tray in the freezer (without the lid or sticks) in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
9. After 30 minutes, take the popsicle tray out of the freezer & place the lid on top. Insert the sticks into each mold, leaving about 1/4th of each stick exposed. Make sure there is enough stick surface area exposed, because this will help you to defrost the popsicle later & will also make it easier for you to hold the popsicle while eating it:) Place the tray back in the freezer & let the popsicles freeze for 8-10 hours or until completely frozen. It is important for the popsicles to be frozen well in order for you to be able to defrost them properly:)
Defrosting/Serving the Popsicle
10. Once the popsicles are completely frozen, take the tray out of the freezer & place it in a large bowl of lukewarm/hot water for 15 seconds – make sure the water covers all the molds, but does not spill over the top, into the molds. Alternatively, you can hold the popsicle molds under hot running water for about 15 seconds. Next, place the tray on a flat surface & using the stick, gently wiggle out each popsicle out of the molds.
11. Place each popsicle in an individual plastic cover or cling wrap sheet, so that they don’t stick to each other. Place the individually wrapped popsicles back into the freezer, until they are ready to be served:)
12. Take the popsicles out about 5-10 minutes before serving them, so that they can defrost slightly. This helps the popsicle to have a perfectly balanced icy-creamy texture & will also enhance the flavour experience:) And it’s better to suck the popsicle, instead of bite into it, to get the creamy chia texture:)
13. Add a sprinkle of unrefined brown sugar to each popsicle before serving. Make sure the sugar is evenly distributed across the popsicle; particularly on the white & green layers (which are less sweet than the mango layer). This will give an added crunch/texture & an extra touch of sweetness to the popsicle (which sometimes loses a but of sweetness when frozen). Also, And voila! Your Mango, Vanilla-Pecan & Ginger-Spirulina Vegan Chia Seed Popsicles are ready to be served:) I’d recommend eating the popsicle from bottom (green) to top (mango), going from earthiness to sweetness:) These popsicles can stored in the freezer for 3-4 days if needed:) Bon Appétit:)
Notes:
*I have only tested this recipe with Full Fat Coconut Milk. Feel free to use another creamy plant based milk like Cashew Milk, Hazelnut Milk, etc:)
*I have only tested this recipe with Toasted Pecans. You can also use similar nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts, etc:)
*Spirulina is a super food & is a rich source of vitamins, nutrients & all things healing:) However, it has a very earthy taste, so even a small quantity goes a long way for flavour, nutritional value & colour:) A standard pack of Spirulina will last you a long time & can be used in smoothies, juices, puddings, etc. You can buy it in health food stores & online on Amazon:) Folks in India, you can score it here on Amazon India:)
*For people who don’t enjoy strong/earthy flavours like Spirulina (comparable to Matcha/Wheatgrass), you can substitute Spirulina with Kiwi purée for the green layer:)
*I used a standard 10 pack/mold popsicle tray. You can use any popsicle molds you prefer:)
*I used standard wooden sticks for the popsicle sticks:) You can also wash them & reuse them for future use:)
Animagus Eats 
Wow delicious😋
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Thank you!😍 Much appreciated:)
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You’re welcome dear🤗
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