Dear <<First Name>>,

I was recently at a lovely upscale restaurant – the kind of place where everything tastes good – and after sampling a yummy berry lassi, I inquired about the ingredients. When I learned that my drink was made using crème fraîche and sugar, I was inspired to create a home-made lassi using clean and traditional ingredients. I did some research, tweaked a few recipes, and landed on a delicious lassi to my liking. Before I share the recipe, here are a few things to know:

Yogurt is a key ingredient in a lassi. Across many cultures, some form of fermented food is a staple part of the diet, and for a good reason: Fermented foods provide us with good bacteria. Research shows that when we eat these foods regularly, good bacteria is replenished in the gut. Good bacteria aids in both our digestion and our moods. Additionally, we hold onto the good bacteria longer when it’s taken in food form as opposed to a supplement.

India’s lassi is an excellent way to support our digestion. Enjoy it with a meal or as a breakfast food. Because yogurt is cold, and too much cold straight to the stomach dampens digestion, I let the yogurt and other ingredients sit out a bit so that the lassi is room temperature when I drink it. If you look up recipes online, you will notice some suggest adding ice. This isn't a great idea (even though my kids make me do it for smoothies). I don’t recall a single lassi in India served with ice…

Enjoy my recipe below. Feel free to change it up to suit your family's tastes. Also, if you don’t consume dairy, try a soy yogurt or milk alternative. Personally, I seek out whole foods, so in this recipe I use whole milk and whole milk yogurt.

From my home to yours, here’s the lassi recipe:
 

NIKKI'S FRESH STRAWBERRY LASSI

*I love Strauss Family Creamery products because they are made locally and I can support their farms by purchasing directly from them.

Cheers!