1. Mango Lassi
If you want to be culturally correct, order this when you eat Indian, but you can also make this any time of the day. It’s healthy, refreshing, and has enough weight to totally count as breakfast. The recipe serves two, but you’ll want to make the whole recipe (and not share). It’s that good.
Serves 2
1 ripe mango
3/4 cups cold milk
3 tablespoons cold plain yogurt
3 tablespoons honey
1 pinch salt
1 handful crushed ice
1 sprig fresh mint
Pick a ripe mango, the redder the skin, the better, and peel the skin. Cut the mango into thick chunks - there's no need for precision here, it's all getting blended. That's the best part!
In the blender, combine the pieces of mango, milk, yogurt, honey, salt and crushed ice. Blend for 20-30 seconds. Try the lassi with a spoon and add honey, milk or yogurt if need be (trust your taste buds).
If it's still too thick, add more milk and continue to blend until it reaches the consistency you are looking for. Pour the lassi into a tall glass and top it with the sprig of mint.
2. Blueberry Smoothie
This smoothie packs a lot of nutritional punch — oatmeal (yep, you read that right), flaxseed, and spinach head up the healthy players, while bananas, greek yogurt, and blueberries give it the perfect sweetness. Depending on how hot the day, throw in an ice cube or two for a little extra chill.
3. Heirloom Tomato and Mango Lassi with Ground Sumac
Tired of the same old blender creations? Next time, toss a few tomatoes into the mix. Cooling and substantive, this tomato and mango lassi has spiced undertones of cardamom, honey, and sumac (if you can’t find this last one, just double the lemon zest). Serve it to your friends, and make them guess the ingredients.
4. Green Smoothie
This one is simple: put a bunch of good things in a blender, and go. It hardly requires a recipe, but this combination of spinach, fruit, and pumpkin puree is especially tasty. Plus, after you drink this, you can feel great about eating all of the cupcakes in the office break room. (If that’s your plan, we'd suggest throwing in an extra handful of greens. Or two.)
5. Avocado Lassi
Add this to your arsenal of what to do with your forgotten, borderline overripe avocados. Creamy and sweet, it’ll offer a welcome change to your go-to guacamole. Here’s a hint: if you soak the nuts overnight, they blend much more easily into your finished drink.
6. Blueberry Banana Smoothie
On the outside, this is a genius way to use up August’s bounty of blueberries. On the inside, it’s an antioxidant powerhouse — you’ll never believe there are only four ingredients. Turn your blender on, drink up, and you’ll feel great all day.
7. Strawberry Mint Lassi
Lassis are designed to cool you down after a curry, but they serve their purpose just as well in the summer heat. Update the classic mango version with strawberries and a generous amount of mint for an herbal kick. Pour into a tall glass, and sip to your heart’s content.
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