Hello wonderful people!

Here in Ontario the weather has been heating up and this weekend is about to be no exception! I don’t know about you, but when the warm weather rolls in my craving for yummy, cold treats seems to roll in with it. Unfortunately, most ice creams and frozen treats are full of processed sugar, among other not-so-nutritious additives, which of course gives them their classic yummy taste. However, these tasty treats are also accompanied by the many downfalls of processed sugar consumption, such as “sugar crashes” and increased inflammation.

Fortunately, I have some great news: It’s absolutely possible to have a delicious, sweet, and nutritious frozen treat without all of that processed sugar! As some of you may know I do love my sweets, but I am particularly sensitive to sugar and especially it’s effects on emotional and mental health. As such I put considerable effort into exploring alternative options for treats that will be both nutritious and tasty!

One such creation is based on the “Lassi”, which is not dissimilar to a milkshake. Lassi’s are easy to make and adaptable based on the ingredients you have. The one I’ll be sharing with you here features strawberries, ginger, and fresh mint, but you could easily substitute in a different type of fruit, or leave out the ginger and/or mint if they’re not your cup of tea.

What really helps improve the nutritional value of this particular recipe is that rather than using ice cream, I used plain non-fat Greek yogurt, which gives the Lassi a creamy texture plus lots of protein, without all of the fat and sugar found in ice cream.It’s important to use plain Greek yogurt, as flavoured ones are again full of added sugar.

To sweeten my Lassi, I’ve used local raw unpasteurized honey. Why is using unpasteurized honey important? When honey is pasteurized the process removes the nutritional benefits of the honey, such as antioxidants and vitamins. Thus it’s best to use unpasteurized honey in order to gain the most nutritional benefit from it.

Ready to make this tasty and nutritious dessert? It only takes about 5 minutes to prepare. For 1 serving you will need…

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 2/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup milk of choice (I prefer cashew or coconut)
• 5 or 6 fresh mint leaves
• 1″ ginger, peeled and diced
• 1/2 Tbsp raw, unpasteurized honey (or real maple syrup)

Method:

• Place all ingredients into the blender and combine until thoroughly mixed. Garnish with mint if desired.
• Close your eyes, inhale, think of one thing for which you’re grateful, and ENJOY! 🙂

I hope you’ll enjoy this sweet treat as much as I have!

Until next time, wishing you much health and happiness 🙂

XO Julie