Helen Vong, Nutrition Editor

The weather in Toronto this summer has been sweltering – the temperature's around 30°C every day! (That’s 86°F, for all of our American readers.) My cool-down solution? A a sweet, icy popsicle. But I could do without the sugar rush that store-bought popsicles hit me with. For a treat that won’t spike and dunk your blood sugar levels and can even boost your post workout recovery, make this quick and clean recipe, courtesy of

Oxygen reader Lindsay Kent, a personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist from Burlington Ontario.

Protein Pops

• 1 cup tropical frozen fruit blend (e.g. strawberries, pineapple, honeydew melon and peach)
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1/2 cup water

Blend all ingredients in a blender and then pour into ice pop molds. Freeze for at least four hours or overnight.

Nutrients per one batch*:
Calories: 433, Total Fat: 2.5 g, Saturated Fat: 0, Trans. Fat: 0, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 0.52mg, Carbohydrates: 29g, Dietary Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 20 g, Protein: 23 g

*Serving sizes will vary depending on the pop size molds you use. And obviously, you don’t want to be eating the whole batch at once, so divide the nutritional info above by the amount of molds. According to Lindsay:

“These pops are a great postworkout snack, and provide a great ratio of carbs to protein. We all know that our bodies are like sponges after we workout, ready to soak up all the nutrients lost through training in order to repair and recover properly. Also, fats should be avoided post workout, as they can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, and while there is a dab of fat in each pop, it is healthy fat, and not enough to interfere with the carbohydrate and protein synthesis. Finally, it is an easy, quick grab that you keep in your freezer, waiting for you after your sweat session - no mixing or making involved!”

Thanks, Lindsay!

Helen
Follow me on Twitter @helenvong.