The temperature outside is rising and with a bit of mango mania going on in the kitchen, thirst quenching yoghurt based drinks like this mango lassi with bee pollen are on the drinks list. Now I know bee pollen is not your typical ingredient found in a sweet lassi, but adding extra health boosting ingredients like seeds, nuts, berries, oatmeal etc., are quick and simple ways of increasing the nutritional content of your favorite drink.
Touted as a super-food, I had never bought bee pollen (granules) until recently. Probably one of the reasons that kept me so long from trying bee pollen is written on packet labels… “this product may cause severe allergic reaction”. Do not take this warning lightly, I have experienced an acute anaphylactic shock (nothing to do with bees) and it’s a very frightening experience and one I would not wish on anyone.
On its own bee pollen tastes a little sweet and has a slight chalky texture when you bite on the granules and when blended into the mango lassi you wont even know it’s there. Although it seems rare that bee pollen causes a severe reaction, it’s best introduced slowly, trying one granule on its own and increase the amount over a period of days before mixing with other foods. You might want to read this article on How To Take Bee Pollen, this seems the standard way of introducing the pollen granules among the web pages I visited.
The information on bee pollen is mostly from sellers and if you have some thoughts on this super-food or have some insightful articles or information please share. You can add the pollen granules to salad dressings like this Romaine Salad with Bee Pollen Vinaigrette recipe over at Epicirous or sprinkle over granola, yoghurt, fruit salads and porridge. Adding a teaspoon of bee pollen to this drink is enough to give the mango lassi an extra healthy summer buzz.
Mango Lassi with Bee Pollen
(One Serving)
Ingredients:
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup of chopped mango
- 200ml laban (a popular middle eastern yoghurt drink), full-fat or low-fat
- 2 teaspoons of honey or sweeten to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
- 1 teaspoon bee pollen granules (optional)
How to make:
Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled glass and serve.
Note: Best to use chilled mangos and keep the serving glass in the freezer until needed. If you can’t find laban use cartons of natural yoghurt. Replace the cardamom with 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract for a different flavor. Replace the bee pollen with 1 teaspoon of chia seeds, if liked.
Do you have any favorite extras that you like adding to your juices and smoothies?
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