Homemade Fruit Snacks

INGREDIENTS:

For the mango carrot fruit snacks:

▢  1 1/2 cups diced mango chunks, defrosted if frozen

▢  1 medium carrot, steamed until soft

▢  2 tablespoons of honey*

▢  1/4 cup water

▢  5 tablespoons grass-fed beef gelatin powder

For the strawberry-beet fruit snacks:

▢  2 cups halved strawberries

▢  1 small beet, steamed until soft

▢  2 tablespoons of honey*

▢  1/4 cup water

▢  5 tablespoons grass-fed beef gelatin powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. First, line a 9" bread loaf pan with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray (I like coconut oil cooking spray).
2. Place the fruit and cooked vegetable of choice in a high-speed blender.
3. Add the water and honey, and puree until VERY smooth, at least 5 minutes.
4. Taste the mixture; add more honey if you think it needs it, and blend again until smooth.
5. Pour the mixture into a large-bottomed stock pot. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Do not touch for 5 minutes.
6. When the mixture is wrinkled on the surface, you can begin to whisk the gelatin into the fruit puree. Turn the burner to medium, and cook while whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. At first, it will appear clumpy, but the heat will dissolve and make everything smooth. Do not let the mixture boil, but cook it until it's smooth.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, and allow to set for at least 3-4 hours. I leave it overnight (covered).
8. Use mini pie cutters to cut out cute shapes. Use scissors to cut up the scraps into small pieces, and mix them into the shapes.
9. The fruit snacks keep for 5 days refrigerated.

*NOTE:

Please add more honey to taste! If you like store-bought fruit snacks, these won't be sweet enough for you. Add honey until it tastes right to you.