Homemade Jello (Healthy!)
Servings: 2 -1/2 cups
Ingredients
For the Base Jello Recipe:
- 2-1/2 cups juice see options below, or use store-bought 100% juice
- 1 heaping tablespoon Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin
For the Strawberry Lime Juice:
- 2 quarts organic strawberries rinsed and greens removed
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 small lime juiced
For Carrot Orange Ginger Juice:
- 2 oranges rind removed and cut in half
- 4 carrots peeled
- 2 " piece ginger peeled
Instructions
To make Strawberry Lime Juice:
- Slice strawberries and place in bowl with honey and combine.
- Pour into a blender and blend until pureed and place in a fine-mesh strainer. Push down to get as much juice as possible. You should have about 2-½ cups.
To make Carrot, Orange, Ginger Juice:
- Place all the prepared ingredients through a juicing machine. Leave behind any accumulated foam. You should have about 2-½ cups. If you have a bit less, add some water or extra orange juice, if you have it, until you reach 2-½ cups.
To Make Gelatin:
- In a medium bowl place 1 heaping tablespoon (see note) of Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin. Pour ½ cup of juice over the gelatin and whisk it together until it's fully combined and let it bloom while you heat up the remaining juice. You want to make sure that the gelatin fully absorbs the water and there aren’t any clumps of unhydrated gelatin.
- In a small saucepan, bring the remaining juice to a full boil. Once it has reached a full boil, pour it over the bloomed gelatin and whisk it until it has fully dissolved. Place jello in six 4 ounce mason jars, or in another container if desired. Refrigerate at least 3 hours, or until fully set.
Notes
Depending on what type of juice you buy, you may have to add some sweetener. We tested it with 100% mixed fruit juice from Whole Foods, and did not feel it needed any added sweetener. Overall we are going for a less sweet version than typical jello, so feel free to adjust to your liking.
A heaping tablespoon is exactly what it sounds, a mounded tablespoon. Place the tablespoon inside the gelatin and pull it out without leveling it. If you'd like to be a bit more precise you can measure it out to 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon. But we tested it both ways and there was no difference in the finished jello so went with the heaping tablespoon measurement since it's easier.
The finished Jello needs to be stored in the refrigerator and will last anywhere from 3-5 days, depending on what type of juice you use. Because this has no preservatives it will not last as long as the shelf stable variety. We found the fresh strawberry one to last the shortest amount of time, closer to 3 days. We did feel it stood up to being outside of the refrigerator for a few hours with an ice pack so it is a great choice to pack for lunch for kids (or adults).