Sour Spirulina Gummy Bears

This is one treat my kids go bonkers for. They can’t get over these cute, “little-bitty baby bears” that taste like candy AND that their mom actually “let’s” them eat it!

Yes … I’m a little neurotic when it comes to what they eat. I’m sure one day far, far into the future, they will thank me for policing their every bite of food, but until then, I want to at least make sure they don’t feel deprived.

That’s initially what got me into the kitchen in the first place. My goal has always been to recreate everyday foods, but with healthy, all natural ingredients … sweets included.

These little gummy goodies are the perfect way to let them indulge and get some really nourishment.

First, let’s talk about gelatin for a second. I started exploring it from a beauty standpoint a few years ago. Many holistic doctors recommend it, so I wanted to see if I could actually benefit from it as well.

Gelatin is composed of protein, water and mineral salts and is free of color, additives and sugar. It comes from the connective tissue and/or bones of animals. Sounds a little gross I know, but it’s insanely healthy.

While it doesn’t quite fit in with my preferred vegan/plant-based diet regimen, it does have some proven health benefits that are hard to ignore:

  • Excellent source of protein, amino acids and collagen (collagen combats fine lines and wrinkles)
  • Great for bone and joint health with anti-inflammatory properties
  • Aids in digestion and helping food pass through the digestive tract
  • Strengthens hair and nails

To make these gummy treats next level, I also added in my favorite superfood; spirulina. It’s a blue-green algae and one of the richest foods you can eat.

Spirulina is loaded with protein and contains all essential amino acids. I put this stuff in everything, from my salad dressing to ice cubes (check out my Immunity Boosting Spirulina Ice Cubes for a real boost and for a more in-depth look at spirulina read this: http://www.well-beingsecrets.com/spirulina-benefits/).

I love it when I can slip spirulina into my kids’ diet and these gummy goodies are an easy way to do just that!

All you need for these 4-ingredient treats is; a saucepan, a mold tray, a dropper and a freezer. Easy enough, right?!

These gummy bears are so simple to make. You just combine raw honey and fresh lime juice in a sauce pan…

~I purposely chose raw honey as my sweetener since gelatin is also not vegan. Raw honey has a host of health benefits, from antimicrobial to antioxidants. It’s a great infection fighter which is ideal for little ones who are constantly fighting off school germs.~

… let the honey and lime juice melt on medium to low heat, then slowly add in your gelatin and spirulina at the very end, stirring briskly the entire time.

When there are no lumps in the mixture and there is a nice glaze to it, the gelatin is ready to be poured into the molds.

Use a dropper to dispense the gelatin liquid and fill it right up to the brim. Pop the molds into the freezer for 15 minutes then they are ready to be served.

I got exactly 101 gummy bears out of this batch using one mold tray and half of another mold tray. You can store them in an air tight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for a few weeks.

My kids absolutely love these things and so do I! They’re easy to make and they taste so much better than store bought gummy bears. Plus, they’re loaded with vitamins, minerals and protein thanks to the spirulina.

They don’t stick to your teeth either, which is better for our dental health. Once you make these for yourself, you won’t ever go back to store bought treats.

Give it a try!

Sour Spirulina Gummy Bears Ingredients:
1/2 c. fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)
1 & 1/2 Tbsp. of raw organic honey
2 Tbsp. of gelatin
1/4 tsp.=up to= 1 tsp. of spirulina

Directions:
1. Squeeze the juice of roughly 5 limes (1/2 cup) into a small saucepan and add in 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of raw honey.

2. Melt the mixture on the stove on medium-low heat, stirring briskly until mixture is dissolved.

3. Once honey is melted, add in spirulina and SLOWLY add in gelatin, stirring constantly to prevent lumping. Be sure not to let it boil! Keep the heat low. Once everything is combined and there is a nice glaze on top, take mixture off the stove, grab your dropper and molds.

4. Have molds on a tray or cookie sheet for easy transfer to the freezer, fill molds to the very top using a dropper, then place molds into the freezer for 15 minutes and serve.

**NOTES**

**If you don’t have a dropper you can use a turkey baster or an old infant medicine dropper. I know that may sound weird, but clean it properly and it works like a gem.

**If you have not tried spirulina before, start off with just 1/4 teaspoon for this recipe. I like a healthy dose of the stuff, so I used 1 full teaspoon. It’s all a matter of taste preference though and spirulina is somewhat of an acquired taste.

The lime really does a good job of masking it.  You *can* omit spirulina altogether and still have a nice sour, limey gummy treat, but if you’re trying to give a little boost to your diet, or your kids’ diet, this is an excellent way to do so.

**You can find a variety of molds on Amazon. I’ve also used metal tin-pans that you would use for cake pops before (it looks like a pan with rows of circles cut in half), I got it at Target. It’s how I first started making them a few years ago because I couldn’t find molds.

**If you want a vegan option, “agar agar” is a good substitute for gelatin. You could also use agave or grade b maple syrup for your sweetener. (I’m working on a  vegan option, hope to have that post up soon!)

**For another gelatin recipe, check out my fresh strawberry gummy bears and fruit roll ups! http://www.earthtoamy.com/real-strawberry-fruit-snacks/