Mexican Jello with Carrots

Yesterday I received a notice from Jorgito’s school. They were letting me know that they will have a special celebration and they asked us to bring a dish or sweet treats for sharing in the classroom.

Let me tell you, every time they have this type of event at Jorgito’s school, he returns home with a bag full of sweets that he says belong to him and it is a nightmare to try to confiscate them so he won’t eat them all at once. That’s why I decided to prepare something for the celebration with less processed sugar and something that would be a healthy option for all the children in my two-year-old’s class.

SunSweet Sunshine Gelatin

I want my son to eat right from an early age because during growth and development it is very important that our children are well nourished so that they can develop good habits, both physically and intellectually. Many moms write to me complaining that their children do not like fruits or vegetables. The reality is that it is our responsibility as parents to teach them during childhood that they should eat everything, and here lies the importance of preparing nutritious foods in the most natural way possible at home. It is for that reason that prunes and nuts are a constant snack in my home.

My mother used to prepare this recipe for our birthday parties. She would even prepare them in individual cups so it was easier to pass out. In this version, I decided to give my mother’s recipe a special touch by adding prunes. In my home, prunes are a never-fail option. My son loves them so much that as soon as he sees them he says, “candy!” and I love being able to give him a natural and nutritious option as a snack at any time of day.

Did you know that prunes are a wonderful option to eat and a serving of prunes is considered one serving of fruit? Yes! They are sweet, delicious, help reduce overall sugar in recipes and contain a low glycemic index which means they can help you stay satisfied for longer without suffering any sugar rush. Also, people with diabetes can eat prunes! They are a nutritious way to sweeten food. A fruit portion is equivalent to 4 to 5 prunes which contains only 15 grams of sugar.

Related to my last blog, many of you asked me through Facebook if prunes could be substituted for raisins. I want to clarify that they are different. Raisins are dehydrated grapes and prunes are dehydrated plums. What I love about prunes is that they have so many different uses in the kitchen. They contain natural elements which help heighten the flavor of other ingredients, while adding moisture to your dishes. Prunes can also serve as a substitute for unhealthy fats or sugars to reduce calories without losing flavor. Plus, prunes have amazing nutritional benefits and studies suggest that prunes can help to support bone health. Now that I know about the many benefits of prunes I try and include prunes whenever I can in my favorite dishes, including those where I would have typically used raisins in the past.

Ingredients
½ cup nuts
1 cup shredded carrot
½ cup Amaz!n Sunsweet Prunes
½ cup pineapple in syrup
2 packets of orange gelatin
6 cups of water
2 cups of almond milk
Whipped cream

Instructions

1.To begin, let’s boil the 2 cups of water.
2. Once the water is boiling turn off the heat and add 1 packet the orange gelatin and mix to make sure that the gelatin powder has been completely diluted.
3. Now add 2 cups of cold water and mix well. Set aside

Mix the shredded carrots with the diced nuts and prunes. (Sunsweet actually has diced prunes available as well if you want to avoid the chopping.)
Fill the cups you’ll be serving this in, ½ way with the gelatin mixture and place in refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Take the cups out and add 3 tablespoons of the carrot/nut/prune mixture to the gelatin making sure that it has already started to set so all the ingredients are dispersed evenly.

Put this in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 hours so it continues setting.

Now let’s prepare the almond milk gelatin, which will serve as the upper portion.

1. Boil 2 cups of water and mix with the remaining gelatin packet. Make sure the liquid is cool before adding the almond milk or you run the risk of it curdling.

Once it’s cool enough, add the almond milk and the pineapple pieces.
3. Add this mixture to the gelatin cups you have cooling and refrigerate for another couple of hours before serving.

I decorated these gelatin cups with a few mint leaves, a dollop of whipped cream and a prune. They end up looking so nice, not to mention the taste is great! What an easy way to have your children eating fruits, vegetables, nuts and almond milk in one dish!

I am sure that this delicious gelatin will be a huge hit at your next party. Also, as a side note, try to remember all the dishes that use prunes. I challenge you to incorporate them into your daily diet. You will notice the difference in your digestion. This is also a great way to take care of your health and aid loved ones with good nutrition.

Send me photos via Facebook and show me how your gelatin turned out.

This post was a collaboration sponsored by #Sunsweet.