I will say this: except for his parents, Mr NQN’s family are a great crowd to cook for. They have simple tastes. One time we rented some rooms in a ‘resort’ for a family getaway. It turned out to be a glorified motel. I was embarrassed at booking everyone in there but Mr NQN’s brother Manu entered our room smiling broadly and excited. Clearly impressed by our lodgings, he said ‘Did you see? They gave us an iron and an ironing board!!’. Aww bless…
Mr NQN is a little different. He’s brutally honest with his opinions on things which I actually appreciate (unless I’ve been working on something all day and he gives it the thumbs down 
). He never gushes or says “I love this dish” and sometimes he can be sparing with his words. Indeed, his highest praise is the phrase “I’m a big fan of this” followed by a request for seconds. It’s easy enough to guess what he’ll like and ice cream or icy pops are high on his list.
The weather…well it’s erratic of late to put it politely. It’s batpoo crazy if you want to know what I honestly think of it. But during a sweltering two day stretch in which we slept on cold towels and tossed and turned in the sticky night heat, I decided that icy pops were the order of the day. I had some cloudy apple juice in the fridge and plenty of salad so I decided to combine the two to create a fun, natural pop with superb cooling properties. The cucumber that I used adds a little bit of flavour but not too much and you don’t feel as though you’re sucking on a vegetable juice lollipop.
Which of course the Elliotts would love… funny things!
So tell me Dear Reader, what’s the weather like where you are? Are you fanning yourself furiously or snuggling under the covers? And do you like it when people give you honest feedback on your cooking?
Cloudy Apple & Cucumber Cool Icy Pops
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Approximately 55 calories/231 kilojoules per pop
- 6x100ml ice pop containers
- 580ml unsweetened cloudy apple juice (best quality)
- 1 small cucumber
- 2 teaspoons runny honey
1. Slice 12 pieces of thin cucumber rounds and set aside. In a small food processor or blender, combine the apple juice and half of the rest of the cucumber and the honey. Process and taste and add more cucumber if you feel that it needs it (I have found that if you add all of the cucumber, it tastes a bit too “green”).
2. Place discs of cucumber down the sides of the pop containers and then pour the unstrained juice into the molds. Place sticks inside and freeze until set.
Zoku set sent for review. For a more comprehensive Zoku Pop review see this post.
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58 Comments | Add your own
Delightfully refreshing!
Cheers,
Rosa
Too chilly in the US for these now, BUT bookmarked for Summer!
Portugal’s under cold, cold weather and I’m expecting to be this way for the next couple of weeks at least. Thank god I’ve got a fireplace.
I DO prefer honest comments. I mean, I won’t say that I enjoy people telling me, when I invite them over, that my food was awful… but I like it when they say they didn’t like it, or I should have done something differently, politely.
It’s freezing where I am, in Avignon in the south of France. -2 but feels like -10 with the wind from the north! I’m kind of jealous of those who are experiencing summer and get to eat delicious icy pops like this. But I don’t envy the extreme heat that’s resulted in the bush fires in Aus and NZ. That’s just awful! Best wishes xxx
It’s -14 C, with windchill -21C. Lovely pops but I’ll wait 6 months
Mmm, I can just imagine how refreshing these would be.
I live in Sydney so I think you’re quite aware of my weather situation!
I am not sure if I really like honest feedback. My husband is very honest and to be truthful it pisses me off, especially if I don’t agree with his criticisms. My standard response is, “But that’s exactly what I was going for.”
Yummy, cooling, beautiful and healthy – just what we need in this hot Aussie summer. Perfect as allways dear Lorraine. Thank you darling (42° on the CC and the first batch in the freezer now hehe)
I love making popsicles! These are a must for hot summer days – I love cucumber water so I can only imagine how refreshing these are!
We have been suffering the similar weather in Brisbane although I invested some years ago in air conditioning because of the havoc the heat plays with my sleeping patterns. Totally worth it. I had the same urge in the heat last week. And given that cucumber and apples have been cheap I started juicing them down
Great minds… It is a great combo and I also mix up the flavours with a dash of mint or ginger.
It’s always crazy weather in Melbourne! Last night we were withering in the heat – perhaps tonight we’ll be shivering in our shoes. Love those icypoles – it’s still warm right now, so one of those would go down a treat.
it’s winter here in chicago but that still won’t stop me from enjoying this popsicle…lol.
Dear Lorraine,
I do not see the point in pleasantries and dislike people playing the diplomatic politician.
I am brutally honest when it comes to food as well and is well-known among friends for telling one of them that her cooking tastes like shit.
I could have done with a few of these last night, ’twas a a hot one in Melbourne.
What a great flavour combination indeed! My littlej is a huge fan of cucumbers so I just have to make her these
Hasn’t the weather been awful? We are sitting around 36-38* but the other day it suddenly dropped to 26* for day. We put on jumpers that night!
My husband is pretty fussy with a lot of food and like yours the biggest compliment I ever get is requests for seconds. We enjoy eating together, and my family dissects every meal, so seriously it’s like living in an episode of Masterchef some times
I’d like a little hot and sweltering right now, we’re about four months out before we can even think about open toe shoes. These pops sound very refreshing, even though it’s a bit of an odd combo. I love the flavour of cucumber (try a few slices in water, it’s so delicious).
I am definitely a feeder, but I do like to eat as well.
Don’t you guys have air conditioners? It doesn’t get nearly as hot here in Toronto but I bet almost everyone has AC!
The problem with my husband is that he always says that he likes whatever I bake, and really doesn’t help me if I need a honest opinion.
Anyway, we are having crazy days, it’s very hot, more than other other years, but today is a cloudy day and there is no sunshine
Scorcher here, Lorraine. Even this morning, at 9am, we’ve decided not to cycle due to the intense heat in the sun. Last night I couldn’t sleep, as our ceiling fan was clicking, sooooooo annoying! Snap, too, I bought some popsicle makers yesterday. I left my old Decor ones behind when I moved out from my ex. Stupid thing to do, I doubt he has used them!
I hate this heat
I bought an ice-block set 2 years ago and still haven’t used it… Thanks for inspiring me to get it out this weekend!
Paul’s opinion on my cooking ranges between “yep!”, “your best yet”, and “hmm, not your best” :p
What a beautiful treat this would be on a day like today where sydney is due to hit 39 degrees!
Very “cool” idea…see what I did there?! :p
I’ve been making quite a few of my own ice blocks lately too- especially yoghurt-berry smoothie ones which are so refreshing and delicious!
Perfect for days like this 40deg one!
These pops look really refreshing. It’s hot up here but we’re along the water so we get a great breeze all day. I’ve turned on the air conditioner once this summer. I do feel lucky.
Clever clever clever!!
Just another day in a heatwave.
I actually like feedback – gives me a chance to improve on the next attempt.
The weather is crazy out here too: it was -7C this morning! It’s never so cold in this parts of the country! Brr… I don’t like it, I wont to move to Australia (but you’ve heard it, didn’t you?!)
On a serious note (I was quite serious about the weather too by the way), I do want people to tell me their comments on the food I make, or how else I would know where to improve?
It’s been steadily hot here! Perfect for pops. Although a few days ago, my sister dropped one of the zoku peach pops I had made and the stick broke in half D: I tried to glue it, without much success. So I’m stuck with 5 pops until I get a replacement… But I’ll try to give these a try
We love icy poles in Brisbane too! Go the cloudy apple
Today is the 10th anniversary of the firestorm that hit Canberra and today is predicted to be exactly like that day – stinking hot with a strong, dry northerly wind. The only saving grace is that we don’t have the smoke pall that had hung over the city for a week 10 years ago.
These icy pops look exactly the thing for today’s weather. My mother used to eat apple cucumbers like apples, straight from the crisper, so I will definitely try these.
Ice blocks are not usually my cup of tea, but sure could use some just now! And these look delicious! My cooking: I do like it when people are honest [I mean I have a fair idea of how good the dish is myself!!], but there is a nice way and a nasty one to say the same thing! Weather: just don’t ask – it’s 10 am and 43 C in the shade already and no, I don’t have an air conditioner, so many cool showers due during the day
! Tried to give my poor garden a drink [we are only allowed to hand water!] and lasted just ten minutes in the burning sun!!! Storms and cooler weather due late tonight . . .
These would be great for the heat today! They look so refreshing
Sydney’s summer is very hot this year isn’t it?
Although weather in central Mexico in the winter averages in the 70s F, we usually have a few nighttime freezes. This year TODAY is the first cold day so far. Very strange. And it is only blustery and cold, not bitter. Your husband sounds like such a treasure…and yes, I love honest feedback.
This with a bit of gin sounds perfect for a day like today!
What a wonderful combo, I love both apple juice and cucumbers!
My other half is like Mr NQN, when I ask for feedback, his usual comment is ‘I ate it all didn’t I?’ so frustrating, but after eating my food for 42yrs it must be okay, as he’s still around……
I love honest feedback about anything – food, clothes, hair! Likewise I am happy to give honest opinions.
SNOWING BLOODY SNOWING.
As can only have cloudy apple juice, enjoy the flavor combination too!
Yes in this 43C (double that and add 32 re F) am “trying” to keep myself distracted too!
When I was little, when going to bed, mum would tell me would be less hot if I laid still,
I’ll try remembering her words of advice when am over the hill! lol
Always look for honest feedback, construction criticism too,
Have learned, one will never please everyone, so is best to “do one’s best”and please one’s self first too!
You should see the weather in Jakarta, where we live. It is a monster flood here!
Sydney is so hot this summer, and Jakarta is a water park. Very weird weather this year.
Take care.
Just spent 4 hrs. in car driving home in snowstorm instead of the 35 minutes it usually takes.Only 3 days ago upper east Tennessee had summertime temperatures and I would have devoured these!
It’s 33 degrees with 94% humidity where I am (Jakarta). Oh, and we’ve been getting epic floods too which means that we’re pretty much stranded in the house until the flood waters die down a little bit. I wish I was back in Melbourne with its 39 degree dry heat!
On a sweeter note, these icy poles look mad! I’ve been going a bit crazy with Greek yoghurt and mango icy poles so the cloudy apple and cucumber combination would make a lovely change. Thanks for posting it up!
How fun! I particularly crave ice-pops and ice cream when it’s cooler out so this is perfect for me =)
Perfect for today, these are just beautiful! Hope you’re staying cool.
Heidi xo
I like honest feedback but not harsh ha. It is sticky, humid and SO hot here in Brisbane. I feel like we’ve gotten like 2 days of non-heatwave weather in the past 2 weeks!
48.5 C (119.5 F) on the back veranda at lunch time! The soda stream is getting a workout. Unfortunately I tossed my old Tupperware ice block moulds and I refuse to buy another gadget.
May I PLEASE whinge!! An alltime record 46 C here at 4.30 pm and we have just had an unexplained outage of over two hours!!! Don’t even dare go talk to my fridge!!! Full of four weeks perishables!! I think not . . . . Oh for the want of snow . . .
batpoo crazy…
You are too freaking cute.
It’s a wee bit chilly here in Manila, so I’ll have to pass on making these ice pops – though I’m pretty sure that my dad will like ‘em. He loves anything simply done with fresh fruit or veg.
I think anything cold in the heat wave is a pleasure and I love honest feedback about my cooking
Oooo these ice pops are really pretty.. love the cucumber slices in them!
Apple/cucumber, that sounds fantastic! Perfect for this batpoo weather! Am so looking forward to the cool change…
Every time I hear about the weather down there I think of you and wonder how you’re holding up. Seems you are coming up with brilliant ways to stay cool. Love the idea of a savory pop with cucumber. Delish.
I do love these pops and what a great idea. And the photo is beautiful against the dark ice. We are chilly here and fighting colds but the apartment is cosy and we are eating stews and soups. Outside, the sky is steely gray and the air is misty white, so romantic! I’m waiting for the snow. And I love when people are honest if they are nice. And ask for seconds.
Going to make these today, perfect for hot Sydney days (wish I had some for yesterday!). I prefer honest constructive comments as long as they are said in a nice not harsh way!
Well I am huddling on the couch under a blanket and dreaming of a fireplace… But I will save these for next summer!
I had pimms with cucumber for the first time yesterday and didn’t like the cucumber taste in it – but I want to make these because they look so gorgeous – love how you photographed them on ice – I assume that helped to keep them from melting while you did the photos
These are so pretty. It’s super windy and beginning to snow here and I still think these look tasty!
Family…you love them, or…you kind of love them. ha
Sounds like you got lucky to have easygoing folks in your midst. The weather here in California is warm again. Perfect for pops!
Friday was a stinker here in Sydney alright, but as I had to cook all day for an evening do, I decided not to turn on the air-con, as what is the point – I don’t think I got any hotter!
I once cooked a meal that was so horrible I couldn’t eat it, and told my husband he didn’t have to either. His response wa “but you cooked it”. You have to love a man like that!
What tasty & very cooling alternative popsicles!
I love them: yummy yum! xxx
Fab pics too with the darker background!
how healthful of you, lorraine! this is a fun way to snack, for sure.
I love that cucumbers are peeking from the icy pops. SO CUTE!!!!
It’s 75F. Is that warm enough to have these refreshing ice-pops? I say it is!
Am currently in bed, sick, browsing all my favorite food blogs. Love your gorgeous photos. I don’t think I’ve ever commented before (I decided to come out of my shell this year and actually engage with bloggers I follow) but I thought I’d leave a comment today & tell you I really enjoy your blog & love, love the photos.
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