Strawberry Wake-Up Shake by Sarma Melngailis

We have loved having Sarma with us this week. For more about clean living and eating with Sarma Melngailis, be sure to get your copy of Where Women Cook!

My books are filled with all kinds of savory and sweet recipes, but this easy shake recipe is practical for breakfast or a pick-me-up afternoon snack, and great for kids too, though you may want to omit the raw cacao for your little ones. Raw cacao definitely gives you a serious caffeine-like kick. It’s an incredibly nutritious (and delicious) energizing ingredient to have around, particularly if you want to kick the coffee habit. Raw cacao is full of antioxidants (vastly more than what you find in regular roasted cacao beans) and really high in magnesium, a mineral in which many people are deficient. Raw cacao nibs aren’t that easy to find, you can order them online. They won’t blend completely smooth, particularly if you don’t have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, but they add a nice little crunch to the shake.

Strawberry Wake-Up Shake

Ingredients

1½ cups almond milk, or any nut milk (to make your own, see recipe below)
1½ cups fresh or frozen organic strawberries
½ cup fresh or frozen organic banana slices (about half a large banana)
2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs (see note above)
1-2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
¼ cup organic agave nectar
pinch of sea salt

Instructions

In a high-speed blender, puree all the ingredients until smooth.

Almond Milk

Ingredients

1 cup raw almonds
4 cups fresh filtered water
OR
Organic Raw Sprouted Almond Butter

Instructions

To make almond or any nut milk from scratch, you do need a high-speed blender like a Vitamix.
To make it from scratch, soak 1 cup raw almonds in clean filtered water overnight. Rinse them, and blend with 4 cups fresh filtered water for about 2 minutes.
Strain the milk through a fine mesh bag or multiple layers of cheesecloth.
You can flavor the milk a little bit of agave nectar, a teaspoon of vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
If you want to be able to make fresh almond milk on the fly, keep jars of organic sprouted raw almond butter in the cupboard.
Then, when you want almond milk, just add 2 heaping tablespoons to any blender along with 2-3 cups of filtered water and blend for fresh creamy white almond milk.