There’s something about lollies that makes us happy, It might be their bright colours, their sugary sweetness or the fact that they're just so delicious.

Whatever the reason, most Aussies have a real love affair with lollies.

Fruit roll ups and their more sugary counterpart sour straps are some of the most popular lollies available for purchase in various stores — such as supermarket chains Woolworths, Coles, and IGA and independent retailers — across Australia.

These delicious treats are packed with flavour in every bite, so it is not surprising that we enjoy snacking on them from time to time.

The healthy, homemade “fruit roll up” is made from browning berries. Credit: Instagram/@plantyou.​

While these irresistible treats satisfy our sweet tooth, it can't be denied that they contain high amounts of sugar that are not suitable for those who are looking to keep their health in check.

For our members who are looking to indulge themselves in some healthy lollies, we've got good news for you!

Author and plant-based food enthusiast Carleigh Bodrug has gone viral on social media after she shared her secret recipe for making healthy, homemade fruit roll ups.

Sharing the recipe on Instagram, Carleigh said that the recipe only requires two ingredients — berries and chia seeds.

The best part about this recipe? Carleigh said that the recipe is part of her Scrappy Cooking series where she transforms food scraps into delicious meals, disclosing that you don't need to use fresh berries to make this delicious treat. Instead, you may use berries that are starting to look brown.

Credit: Instagram/@plantyou​

"Stop throwing out browning berries," the author said.

"You got to make fruit leather instead."

So, how does Carleigh make these sweet treats?

The author said that the first step you need to do is to place the berries in a blender along with 1 tablespoon of chia seeds.

For those who are looking to make the treat extra sweet, Carleigh recommends adding 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, emphasising that this is just optional and you're free to skip this ingredient.

Next, she blends the ingredients up until they are well combined.

Once the mixture is ready, line a baking tray with parchment paper before transferring and spreading the mixture on it.

Then she dehydrates the mixture in the oven at 80 C for 6 hours.

Finally, she takes the fruit leather out of the oven and lets it cool before serving.

"You'll have a treat just like a fruit roll up," she said at the end of the video.

Aside from the addition of maple syrup — which is an optional ingredient — the recipe is sugar-free, making it ideal for diabetics who are looking to enjoy sweet treats. Credit: Instagram/@plantyou.​

Berry Fruit Leather Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups berries
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

Method:

1. Blend ingredients until well combined.
2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread mixture.
3. Dehydrate in the oven at 80 C for 4 to 6 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Credit: Instagram/@plantyou

Instagram users have raved over the recipe, with over 470,000 of them liking and leaving comments on the video.

One user said: "I say this every time but this one is GENIUS!"

"Wow! Fruit roll ups were my absolute favourite when I was younger!" another exclaimed.

A third chimed in: "Yummy!"

Others claimed that a similar treat is made in their hometowns.

One person shared: "They make it from grapes and purple plums in my hometown."

"Its name is "Pestil", we make a roll with nuts in this fruit pulp and eat it like that."

Another added: "In Iran we call this lavashak. It's lovely!"

Needless to say, we can still enjoy delicious lollies without compromising our health!

Are you looking forward to trying this treat? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

 

[Ricci]

Sounds delicious but 6-8 hours in the oven sounds a lot.