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Growing up in Russia, I didn’t know what a smoothie was until my late teens. The closest that to a smoothie that I got was what we called a “strawberry milkshake”. Did an image of an American drive through pop up on your mind? It was nothing like that.
Let me paint you the picture that comes to my mind. Imagine a summer in a wooden country house with a backyard full of fruits and vegetables. The simplest house built by my great-grandfather featured an outdoor toilet, a wood-fired shower (I volunteered to be on the fire duty) and squeaky stairs. There was also one TV that would bring together the adults at the end of a long day.
In the meantime, I’d run off to burn fire with friends, blushing from the heat and also from a crush I’d have on an older boy (which had to change every summer to keep things fresh). The fire doubled as a source of heat and an oven, which we used to toast bread on wooden sticks, bake potatoes, and grill sausages.
That was the whole essence of food to me back then: simple, homemade, nourishing, and communal. Back to the milkshake. My favorite part of our backyard (besides the wood carving station) were rows of strawberry plants. My sister and I would carefully inspect them every day for ripe berries. Often my impatience kicked in, and I would eat half green berries – away from my mom’s eyes.
On luckier days, we’d collect a small bucket of ripe, delicious, imperfectly shaped strawberries. We would then separate them evenly into two glass cups, add a teaspoon of sugar, mash them with a fork until the juice came out, and then pour milk over to fill the cup. Stir, serve, gulp. In a kitchen where grandpa was the boss, this was our very own way to express our creativity through food.
Fast forward 15 years later. I’m living in New York, where summertime farmers market boast local strawberries that remind me of those sweet summer days in the Russian countryside.
The perfect summer Saturday starts with a yoga class, followed by a trip to Union Square market, and a big cook-off at home. There’s something special about getting the freshest local produce without a recipe in mind, and then experimenting in the kitchen. That’s what I call cooking for wellness! Savory cooking is often followed by making a fruit smoothie, which can serve both as a dessert and as breakfast the next morning.
This is my favorite Strawberry Milkshake Recipe – a modern, wholesome twist on the old school classic from my childhood. Having a blender definitely helps, but if you’re crafty, you can try the fork method too ;)
This strawberry milkshake is rich in antioxidants, fiber, gut-friendly bacteria and protein. Vanilla extract adds a whole new twist on this recipe, completing the flavor with its satisfying sweetness. The one I used is from Frontier Co-op. It’s my go-to not only because of its flavor and non-GMO certification, but also because it supports farmers in Madagascar. It’s so easy to make a difference simply by being aware of our shopping choices. I encourage you to look at the labels next time you shop, and go for ethical and fair trade products where possible.
Vanilla Strawberry Milkshake Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen (more to top)
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 1/2 cup Anita’s coconut yogurt (Greek yogurt will work)
- 2 tbsp. almond butter
- 1/2 cup water (or almond milk)
- 1 tsp. Frontier Co-op Vanilla Extract
- Topping: 1/2 teaspoon Frontier Co-op Poppy Seeds
Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve with poppy seeds and strawberries.
This post features sponsored products and is in collaboration with Frontier Co-op. Frontier Co-op is a member-owned co-op committed to giving back to the community and the planet through sustainability, environmental awareness and social responsibility. I stand for all of it! All opinions are my own.