Today’s post is a homemade jello recipe. Last time, I talked about the health benefits of collagen and gelatin and what you’re missing on if you don’t include gelatin in your diet. This recipe will show you easy it is to incorporate gelatin and make healthy treats.
Growing up, I liked jello. I like the colors, sweetness, and coolness. My mom always made it with some fruit in the bottom, some sort of sponge cake, and homemade cream (having flash backs of birthday parties). But as most people, she used commercial packaged jello powder.
As an adult and nutritionist, every time I picked a jello box and read ingredients, I was discouraged by how fake it is. Artificial colors, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners. Some days, when I really wanted to make a dessert that called for jello, I brushed the junk in jello off. I don’t eat it that often so it’s ok. Other times, I changed my plans and made something completely different to stick with real food desserts (I strive to eat real food almost all the time).
Then I learned how to make jello from scratch. Wow… it’s super easy. Why haven’t I tried it a long time ago? I can make real food jello desserts too!
Here’s my recipe to make jello. I used 100% orange juice and fresh strawberries that were starting to soften. I blended the strawberries and mixed them with the juice and gelatin. It was a bit tangy from all the citrus.
Use this formula and try different juices: grape, apple, cranberry, pomegranate, lemon, etc. Start with 100% juice. Read the ingredients list and make sure it doesn’t contain sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners. You can even start with freshly squeezed juice.
Learn how to identify the REAL causes of your gut problems.
What Type of Gelatin to Use
I use beef gelatin from Vital Proteins. It’s kosher, gluten-free, and made from grass-fed cows that are raised without hormones or GMO-food.
Click here to buy this high quality beef gelatin. (by using this link, you help support this practice and website).
Homemade Jello Recipe
Reminder… this is still dessert. You’re still getting mostly carbohydrates and simple sugars from the juice. But you’re eating real food dessert. I prefer that 100% times over sugar (or Acesulfame K), fumaric acid, and Red #40.
- 1 cup 100% orange juice (or any other 100% juice)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, washed and stems removed (optional)
- 1 tablespoon beef gelatin
- 1/4 cup cool water
- 1/4 cup hot water (almost boiling)
- Blend the orange juice and strawberries in a blender until completely smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, mix the gelatin with cool water. It will start to gel.
- Add the hot water and mix. It will get thinner.
- Add the blended orange juice and strawberries. Mix well.
- Pour into an 8×8 baking dish or individual-size cups (great for a school snack!)
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until the gel sets
