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Oh gummy bears...how I love you but wish you were healthier. Thankfully, these berry vegan gummies can sub in! They are tasty, simple to make, and absolutely kid-friendly.
Berry Delicious Vegan Gummies
I am sure I'm not alone, but my toddler goes through snack phases. Last month, all he wanted to eat was apples. (Green apples, to be specific, and I was that awful mother who accidentally bought red apples. Eeek.) Not just for a snack, though. For every single meal.
Last week, it was chocolate. Boy, was that a battle. He knows I hide chocolate in the fridge so whenever I told him we didn't have any (total lie) he would open the fridge doors, pull up a chair, and start rifling around. Luckily, his arms only extend so far haha.
Thankfully, this week it's gummies. I say "thankfully" because my homemade gummies are healthy!
While Yummy Earth Organic Gummy Bears are slightly better than other brands (no artificial ingredients and non-GMO), they are made with fruit juice instead of the whole fruit so they're definitely not "healthy". Fine for a rare treat, like on Halloween or Easter, but with the way my child has been eating gummies?! Not gonna cut it.
How to Make Healthy, Vegan Gummies
These homemade gummies are also vegan, which is great if you follow that diet or if you are just cutting back on animal products in your home. Thank you, agar powder, for being our gummy savior.
Note that homemade gummies aren't the same "stretchy" texture as store-bought gummy bears - perhaps because these contain blended, whole fruits instead of just fruit juice. But they're still delicious and toddler-approved.
For the gummy molds, I used these Silly Molds (it's a 3-pack with hearts, stars, and sea shells.) This recipe fills up two complete molds. My son thinks they also work wonderfully as hats. I got to watch my husband cook breakfast with a gummy mold on his head this morning and it was glorious.
The most difficult (but really not difficult) part of making these is the process of blending the berries and then straining out the skins and seeds. I take a spatula or spoon and push down on the mixture in the strainer to make sure I'm getting as much liquid as possible out. It only takes a few minutes, though, so no hard feelings, right? Including the fruit "pulp" into these gummies instead of simply using fruit juice makes them healthier because of the fiber content. The fiber helps our bodies properly process the sugar.
After you strain, you simply bring the "juice" to a simmer with the agar powder and pour into the molds. Let set in the fridge and 30 minutes later (or less), you have a yummy treat on your hands.
Hey - if you love healthy berry recipes, check out this recipe for Very Berry Vegan Cheesecake!
Ingredients
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup blackberries
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon agar powder - NOT agar flakes
Instructions
- Blend together the blueberries, blackberries, and water until there are no chunks.
- Strain out the berry juice from the skin and seeds using a mesh strainer. Use a spoon to press and move the mixture around to make sure you're getting all the liquid out.
- Add the juice to a pot with the agar powder on medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
- Spoon into molds and place in the fridge and let set, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from molds. Store in a container in the fridge (if you don't eat them all right away!)
