If you have had sour patch kids within the last week, then you probably won’t think this is a good replacement. But, if you haven’t had them for years then these should do the trick!
I used to love sour patch kids and really all sour candy in general, but I hadn’t had them for years. We were walking around downtown Santa Cruz a few months ago and my husband and I split up to go into different shops and he reappeared with sour patch kids from a specialty candy shop. He said the nostalgia tempted him because we used to chow down on these all the time when we first dating. Right husband, right … 😉 … We each ate one and we were so grossed out. It tasted beyond artificial and it actually made my mouth feel a little numb.
I wanted to share this story to encourage those of you that are new to Paleo to hang in there because eating real food does get easier over time. Your taste buds change, you become more sensitive to unnatural sweeteners and fake foods and you also stop craving these things.
Even though I don’t crave sour patch kids anymore, I do love the combination of sweet and sour flavors. These Citrus and Pineapple Gummies offer just that. In addition, they are packed with nutrients!
Research and observation of traditional cultures have taught us that gelatin has many benefits including improving digestion and soothing the GI Tract. In addition, it has been found to build strong cartilage and bones and it has benefits for the skin, immune system and heart. It is a true super food!
The quality of the gelatin matters. Conventional brands of jello, do contain gelatin, but they are also loaded with food coloring and high fructose corn syrup. Plus, it is highly unlikely that they are using gelatin from grass-fed cows. Those types of jello should be avoided, as they will do more harm than good.
Luckily, making your own jello and gummy snacks are easy! This brand is awesome and is the only one I know of that offers gelatin derived from grass-fed cattle. Their gelatin in the green container does not gel when added to liquids. This is great to use as a supplement, as you can add it to smoothies or tea for an extra nutrient boost. When making gummy snacks or desserts, you need the gelatin in the red container.
Superfood Citrus and Pineapple Gummies
Equipment Needed
Citrus Squeezer – I have this exact one and I love it! It is one of the most used items in our kitchen!
Glass dish (approx. 6×6) – I used the large square from this set. I got mine at Costco.
Ingredients
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup pineapple, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2 teaspoons honey
*3-4 tablespoons of gelatin
- Combine orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, gelatin and honey in a sauce pan. Whisk until there are no lumps.
- Heat over low until the mixture is warm, but not boiling. Stir constantly. This step takes about 5 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a glass dish.
- Allow it to sit out on the counter to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the chopped pineapples.
- Place the dish in the freezer to firm up for about 15 minutes.
- Store in the fridge.
- Enjoy straight out of the container or cut into bite size pieces!
*For more of a traditional jello consistency use 3 tablespoons. If you want it to be a little harder, more like candy then use 4 tablespoons. I prefer the 4 tablespoons version and Brooke (my husband) prefers the 3 tablespoons. It’s just a matter of preference … 🙂
