Looking for some cool, healthy, summer sips? Have you ever tried a lassi? I know you have had plenty of milkshakes. This chilly, creamy, sweet drink is your favorite milkshake with some saffron sass thrown in.
Lassi’s are common in India, Malaysia and plenty of beautiful regions that I need to visit some day. Sweet versions include fruit, saffron and yogurt.
For now I will sip mine poolside here in USA ~ Join me for some lassi milkshakes and let’s dream about far away, exotic parts of the globe…
Banana and mango are the perfect fruity pairing.
Saffron adds an elegant flavor twist. The mango saffron sauce used in this shake is also used in my recipe for Mango Crunch Parfaits.
This shake is perfect for summer entertaining or as a energetic pre or post workout snack. To give it an energy boost I added our favorite plain kefir from Green Valley Organics. Do you remember when I went to visit the beautiful organic goat farm in northern California?
OMG ~ I totally wanted to take home a baby goat from Redwood Hill Farm. Wouldn’t you?
I learned so much on that visit.  Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery are 100% solar powered. It is family-owned (we met the fun Bice family that owns and live on the farm.) The farm is certified humane and all products are non GMO. There are no preservatives, and no artificial coloring in the products.
Tempting for body, mind and soul.
Have you ever had kefir?
It is great in so many recipes ~ basically it is a gluten free/low glycemic yogurt drink that is rich in probiotics, vitamins, minerals and complete proteins. Redwood Hill Farm has goat milk versions and Green Valley Organics has lactose free cows milk versions. Both companies are owned by the Bice family. You can go with sugar free plain like I did or try a flavor like Blueberry Pomegranate Acai.
Small organic farms like this thrill all the senses…
By the way, you can also freeze this milkshake and bring it to work, school or on your favorite hike.
Let it sit out a bit so you can sip it with a straw if you do this. You can’t sip a big ice block.
What is your favorite way to use kefir? What is your favorite kind of shake?
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Stay in touch with Green Valley Organics and Redwood Hill Farm on: Twitter: @RedwoodHillFarm, Facebook and their websites Redwood Hill Farm and Green Valley Organics
FamilyFreshCooking.com disclosure: I am working with Green Valley Organics and Redwood Hill Farm on a series of blog posts. Thoughts, opinions and the photos are entirely my own. I hope you enjoy learning about these great brands as much as I enjoy sharing them with you!
I’ve never used kefir before . . . I always buy greek yogurt. This shake recipe looks absolutely divine. As soon as I saw mangoes, I was sold! 🙂
Hi Michelle, feel free to try this with greek yogurt too. Though you will LOVE it with kefir 🙂
oh, I loooove goats and their “silly” faces!!!! That is a delightful drink and marvelous combination of flavors.
Cheers,
Rosa
Rosa, I know it. Those little faces are precious!
a great excuse for me to try kefir for the first time…i always see it and always get scared to buy it 🙂
Oh please don’t be scare Heather ~ you will enjoy it. Especially used in icy cold milkshakes!
I love the goats, so cute!
this is very creative, I love the saffron – I can imagine how good this is!
Sounds wonderful! The photo with the milk bottle drinking glasses and polkadot straws makes this look both fun and refreshing. Can you share where I might purchase those?
Hi Linda! Glad you like the styling of this shake. I’ll send you the links to the straws and bottles later today. On a steep hike now 🙂
Linda, here is the link for the little glass milk bottles and the confetti dot polka dot straws.
Thank you!
I’ve always wanted to buy saffron but never have because of the price tag. I’ll have to dream up what it tastes like in this! But I do LOVE kefir and drink/ eat it frequently.
Katie, I purchased my saffron at Trader Joe’s. If you have one near by the price was not bad at all. Remember – a little goes a loooong way!
Mmmmm…… love kefir and lassi’s!! We have lassi’s all the time, sweet/savory in Malaysia 😀
Pinned!!!
Kiran, I bet you could teach us many lassi recipes. Not sure I have ever had a savory one. I would be curious to try though. Thanks for the pin!
Yum! This sounds absolutely lovely. I’m always looking for fun new smoothies!
Glad I could share a fun new smoothie flavor with you 🙂
Beautiful! I can’t get enough Mango, I love the idea of adding saffron.
Thanks Jackie! Glad you are up for the saffron twist 🙂
This is fantastic, wow….it is the perfect combo of two of my fave fruits!
this is 100% perfect for me AND just landed and will be making PLENTY of variations on this theme!
I love the endless variations on your milkshakes, smoothies and now this lassi. The colors are so vibrant here–I’m sure matching the flavor of the mango and banana. Beautiful images as usual. 🙂
Thanks Jean, I’ve been having a blast coming up with creative shake flavors this summer!
I love a good mango lasso. Love the addition of saffron!
Thanks Jeanette, the saffron adds a nice ethnic and elegant twist to a the tutti fruitti flavors ~ as does the slight tang from the kefir.
It’s such a good combination! I’m drooling!
I love lassis! I order one every time I go to an Indian restaurant. Your pictures are beautiful.
Beth, you do?? Take me next time you go food Indian food ~ OK?!
OK, next time I’m in So.Ca. or you’re on the East coast, it’s a date!
Yes! Love it 🙂
I can’t wait to try this. Thanks, Marla!
I’ve never had a lassi, but this sounds absolutely wonderful. I want!!!
Hope you get to try a Lassi soon Megan 🙂
Beautiful and totally unusual! Who would have thought saffron!?
Heather, this is something I could totally see you doing…hopefully you can try some day 🙂
I love saffron – it’s one of my all time favorite flavors. most soups, in my home, include saffron. love the picture of that goat – way cute!
Susan, I need to visit your home for soup! I will start to include saffron in mine as well ~ once those fall soup cravings hit.
I added all the ingredients to my shopping list! Hoping I can find saffron! That goat pic is cracking me up!!!
Oh good! Glad you are intrigued by my shakes. If you have a Trader Joe’s nearby you can find the saffron for a reasonable price.
Aren’t those goats too funny?!
I first heard of lassi in Bill Granger’s books. Made one of his recipes and it was superb. But my favourite fruit and saffron? Winner winner. Oh, and love that goat. We can share ownership.
Mike, goat ownership ~ YES!! That would be very cool. You would love to see this farm too. Over the top beautiful!
Oh I love this idea. I made mango popsicles tonight but this would have been a better option given I couldn’t get them out of the molds! And the add in of saffron is brilliant. Another Marla winner. XO
Thanks so much Heidi ~ so sorry to hear about the pop mold trauma. Next time try running some warm/hot water over the molds to help release.
This looks really good, and involves my favorite thing, saffron! xx
I will have to make this for my hubby. He loves mango lassis. Thanks Marla! xo
P.S. I love that goat too. He’s a Nubian. I actually DID bring home 2 newborn orphaned goats once. My husband thought I was nuts but they were too cute 🙂
This would be such a perfect breakfast drink to start my day. Love the flavors.
Mmmmmm mango! What a dreamy flavor combination. I’ve got to try this one. 🙂
Ah, Mangos! One of our favorite fruits, and one that we can’t grow on the farm! Glad you were inspired by your visit to create this wonderful recipe using kefir. It is so versatile. We use it in smoothies, in any recipe in place of buttermilk, to “cream-up” a soup, even frozen kefir sherbets!
Thanks again, as always, your photos are amazing!
Yes to lassis! They are a staple in our household!
So light and fresh for the hot months of summer. Love the flavor combinations!
This sounds fab. I’ve just gotten into mango and I’m now ‘forcing’ myself to get up in time to make a fruit smoothie before I leave for work. This should work, maybe with some oatmeal thrown in.