A turmeric smoothie with a flavor-enhancing pro tip ;)

Amanda’s note: I would like to welcome Ramya Venkateshwaran as a writer at Fresh Bites Daily. We found Ramya writing in India from her website WildTurmeric.net and we were captivated by her story. We share many things in common with her and I know you do too, particularly her love of the herbs and spices growing around her in her village in India. She collects them and uses them in her cooking and in her health regimens, as many generations have before her.

I still the remember the beautiful smell of freshly ground turmeric, when my grandma made her turmeric powder every year. During summer, my grandma would choose the best turmeric, dry them in the sun until crisp, grind them finely, and then store them in huge ceramic pots. I still follow this tradition and make my own turmeric powder. I love the beautiful golden color that turmeric brings to our food and I add it to almost all my sauces and dishes.

The latest addition to my list is this turmeric smoothie.

I have always added turmeric to cooked food and I have never used it in a raw dish. When I came across this recipe in one of my old cook books for a turmeric smoothie that uses turmeric powder, I wanted to try it. I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it, the smoothie was delicious. It is also the perfect breakfast food and can be made very quickly, especially if you have blanched almonds on hand.

I tried the smoothie with both organic whole milk and coconut milk and I liked both versions. If you are allergic to dairy, try the coconut milk. This smoothie also contains bananas and blanched almonds, the perfect ingredients that fill us and keep us satisfied until our next meal.

The only problem with adding turmeric powder to smoothies is the sharp flavor of turmeric, especially if you are adding more than a few pinches. Some people don’t mind the flavor, but if it is keeping you from making turmeric smoothies, the best solution is to boil the milk with turmeric powder for a few minutes to cut the sharpness, let it cool, and then make the smoothie. Boiling milk with turmeric powder takes away the flavor and smell that most people dislike. During the summer, when the mangoes are in season, you can substitute mangoes for the bananas and make a mango turmeric smoothie. In fact, you can substitute bananas with any one of your favorite fruits. Regular consumption of this turmeric smoothie may help purify your blood and keep your digestion in peak order.

Turmeric Smoothie Ingredients

• 1 cup of whole milk (or coconut milk)
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 ripe banana (or favorite fruit)
• 6 almonds
• Honey, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• A dash of black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional)

Turmeric Smoothie Steps

1. Soak almonds in water for a few hours and remove the skin.
2. Boil the milk along with turmeric powder for a few minutes and let it cool. You can also use the turmeric powder directly, if you don’t mind the flavor and smell.
3. In a blender, first blend the blanched almonds along with little bit of the cooled milk until you get a smooth paste. Add in the ripe banana, honey, cinnamon powder, the rest of the milk, and vanilla. Blend until you get a smooth mixture. Enjoy!

Make sure to grind the blanched almonds well, before adding the rest of the ingredients. You can leave out the cinnamon powder, if you don’t like the smell of cinnamon.