Rose Almond Milk With Raspberries

This drink started out as a raspberry strudel with rose frosting.

   Let me explain.  My friend Jenna and I had lunch at the Five Eyed Fox last week, and this was on the menu. It's a strudel filled with locally made raspberry jam and topped with a rose flavored icing. 

   Technically, Jenna ordered it, but I helped her eat it. It was so delicious that it started me thinking about what I could make with these flavors that would not involve all the sugar typical of a dessert like this. So, I deconstructed the strudel.

   I loved the floral quality of the icing, so I definitely wanted to make something with rosewater in it. The first thing I thought of was falooda, a sweet drink/dessert made with rosewater flavored milk that's popular in India. Falooda typically has some kind of fruit, some basil seeds or chewy bits, not unlike the texture of the tapioca balls in bubble tea, and ice cream in it. It's delicious, but again it's loaded with sugar.

    I stuck with the falooda concept and started out with almond milk. I added chia seeds (because I didn't have basil seeds), and raspberries. The seeds and the raspberries give it texture, and it's nice how the raspberry flavor intensifies when you get the bits of fruit in your mouth.  So forget you ever saw the picture of that sugar laden strudel, because this is just as satisfying. And if you are already missing summer, as I am, this is like summer in a glass. Of course if the direction of your day depends on whether or not you have the strudel, by all means have the strudel. We all need to be a little decadent once in a while, but if you can be satisfied with a delightfully fruity, floral drink that can sweeten your day with (a lot) less sugar, go for this refreshing drink.

rose almond milk with raspberries

So this is very simple.

serves 1

start with:

1c. vanilla almond milk (please make your own)

1tsp. chia seeds

2 tsp. of honey (I used 1tsp. honey plus 1/8tsp. stevia)

mix these ingredients and let sit for 20 minutes for the seeds to hydrate

add:

1tsp. of rosewater

1/2c. of raspberry pieces-I use frozen and break them up so that they will go through a straw.

mix well and enjoy

   I always make my own almond milk. I don't like the way the stuff in the carton tastes, and I don't like all the gum additives they put in. Fresh is so much better tasting, and I feel like I can trust it to be a healthy choice.  If you use the stuff in the carton, be sure to adjust the sweetener if the one you buy already has sugar. Most original flavor almond milks are high in added sugar.

If you don't know how to make almond milk, I am posting a quick how to next.