Cantaloupe Ice Pops

MAKES: 15 ice pops

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small cantaloupe or muskmelon
• ½ cup (100g) sugar
• ½ cup (120mL) water
• 2 tbsp (30mL) key lime juice (an alternative is a one to one mixture of lemon and lime juice!)

STEPS:

1. Dice the melon into ½-inch cubes - there should be about 4 or 5 cups total.
2. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring often, over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is transparent. Turn the heat off and allow the syrup to cool down to lukewarm.
3. Pour cooled sugar water into a blender and add half of the melon pieces. Add the lime juice and blend until smooth. Mix the puree with the remaining diced melon.
4. Divide mixture equally between ice pop molds and stick in the freezer until solid, about an hour to an hour and a half.

For a strawberry ice pop alternative, substitute the melon for three cups (500g) of chopped fresh strawberries and increase the water to ⅔ cup (155mL)!

For a rhubarb ice pop alternative, substitute melon for 1 ½ lb (680g) fresh chopped rhubarb, increase the water to 1 ½ cup (355mL) and the sugar to 2 cups (400g)!