Dessert

The warm breeze, salty air, my child’s laughter, chirping birds, ocean waves lapping against the shore, and floral scented Mango Orange Paletas, are some of the ingredients for a wonderful summer day. Mango Orange Paletas are one of my favorite go-to summer treats that I like making for my family.

Here in Santa Barbara, you can easily find delicious paletas in any Mexican grocery store and most taqueria’s. And, if you know where and when to look, you can find vendors selling paletas at nearby parks and neighborhoods. My little Sky Bear loves these sweet cooling treats especially on hot summer days.

Traditional Paletas are either fruit based or milk based ice-cream. The original Paleta recipe, includes a simple syrup, however, too much sugar for my 2 1/2 year old is a recipe for pure fussiness. I attempt to make a conscious effort in our family to really limit sugar intake in our diets. Sky Bear LOVES his ice-cream, as any kid would, or most adults for that matter, and I have given in to his oh-so-sweet plea for “just one more” ice-cream and have witnessed him spiral out. And it is no bueno. With paletas, he can have as many as he would like and I don’t have to worry about excess sugar, since the recipe is mango and diluted orange juice. It was fun playing a food alchemist, turning these mangos into healthy and yummy Mango Orange Paletas. Disfruta!