A couple of months back I googled flavored milk and the results I got was stirring Kool Aid (similar to Rasna in India) in milk or making a syrup out of the Kool Aid and lot of sugar and adding the syrup to the milk. I wanted something with natural ingredients, something made of fresh fruits. Fortunately months later I have found the book The Sneaky Chef. I think I have written enough about this book in my previous post about Blueberry flavored milk.
I have been trying out recipes from the book and I'm so glad that my son is eating at least some fruits without any fuss. I tried the blueberry juice and cherry juice earlier, which was a huge success. At first my son did not like the blueberry milk, but now he keeps asking for it. He doesn't even know that his chocolate milk has cherry juice in it. He is happily drinking it. So I got some strawberries (two 16 oz packs) last weekend and tried the same technique. Will you believe me if I tell that he drank it completely in the last 3 days? I could have never made him eat so much strawberries just like that. I can't wait to try other recipes from that book. Not only that, it also makes it interesting for me because, now I'm thinking what else can I sneak in his food, it's sort of challenging your creativity.
The Strawberry Milk is surely very tasty enough to entice any picky eater.
Strawberry Milk
Ingredients:
Strawberry juice - ¼ cup
Dairy Milk/Non dairy milk - ½ cup (I used dairy milk)
Sugar/sweetener - as per your taste
Procedure:
Mix all the ingredients until well combined and serve
My Notes:
The ratio mentioned in the book is 3-4 tablespoons of the fruit juice to 1 cup of milk. You can mix it in any proportion. I tend to add more juice, so he can get an extra serving of the fruit. So I add juice until I get the enticing vibrant pink color.
Earlier I used to simply blend strawberries, milk and sugar together to prepare strawberry milkshake, but this method had the drawback of having the small black colored seeds (I guess that's what they call it). Even though I filtered it my son would be simply spitting to add to my fury. But in this juice method we are straining out the pulp and so that should not be a problem at all. Some of you may have a question, whether we will be losing the nutrition in the pulp. I didn't have this problem at all, because I added extra water while boiling the strawberries and I also used an immersion blender to puree the mixture thoroughly. So while filtering I got most of the fruit, the pulp was very very less (when compared to the blueberry and cherry juice) mainly the black pits.
Strawberry Juice
Ingredients:
Strawberries, fresh or frozen (no syrup or sugar added) - 2 and ½ cups
Water - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Yield: 2 cups of Strawberry Juice
Procedure:
1. Boil the berries, water and sugar in a medium sauce pan.
2. Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. The book mentions to mash the strawberries with the back of a spoon. But I used an immersion blender to blend the mixture thoroughly.
4. Pour the mixture into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and press the strawberry pulp with the back of the spoon until all the liquid is released. Save the pulp to add to smoothies.
5. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze ¼ cup portions.
My Notes:
1. Buy organic strawberries because it is one of the 12 items which is most contaminated with pesticide residues.
2. This strawberry juice can be used in so many ways. Few recipes listed in the book are, freezing it in ice pop molds for natural and low sugar popsicles, mix it with sparkling water, mix it with lemonade, make berry syrup for pancakes mixing it with maple syrup etc.
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Raza says
Thanks i was looking for this reciepe
btw i have made by just 10 strawberries in water straight and with a little sugar . and i ll try yours for sure ...........
Madhuram says
Sure try it Raza. You will like it.
Gheetha Mathew says
good idea....thanks for sharing.
keerthana says
Hi,
I tried this Tasty berry milk,which is the only drink that my peckish daughter would drink.Finally, I found a way for hiding berries into her food.Thanks a lot for posting this recipe.This would have saved a lot of mum's from fighting with their kids to
eat fruit.
Please Can u suggest any ways of hiding apples?
Thanks
Madhuram says
You're welcome Keerthana. You can try adding grated apples in cake recipes. It adds moisture, sweetness and nice texture to the cake and you get the goodness of the fruit too. Try this vegan apple cake: http://www.egglesscooking.com/2010/10/04/vegan-cocoa-apple-cake/
sai says
thanks a bunch for this recipe. i have always wondered about the seeds in strawberry shakes/smoothes. now i know the trick. but madhu can u tell me more about the immersion blender u hv? what brand. what are the other uses of it etc. TIA
You're welcome Sai. I use a Hamilton Beach immersion blender. I mainly got it to puree hot soups, because you can't pour hot liquids in a regular blender and you would have to wait before blending it. I also use to make keerai masiyal. Once the spinach cooks, I blend it in the vessel itself a couple of times.
Hayley says
I've always wondered why no one has developed a strawberry soymilk, and now I can make my own. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome Hayley.
PG says
that is a good idea, to use strawberry juice. Although today only i made raspberry milk shake with whole raspeberris and he doesn't mind the seeds, luckily, and the same is with strawberries too. But, who knows when he might change his mood. 🙂
sripriya vidhyashankar says
wow.. looks really Yummy & delicious...
mahimaa says
lovely picture...looks inviting. ur breakfast bars are toooo good. have to try it sometime. thanks for visiting my blog and commenting.
Uma says
Thanks for trying chili fries Madhu and I am glad you liked those. Good idea to add all three colored peppers. I made a similar recipe but not strips but circles and posted as Bell pepper rings. 🙂
I saw that too Uma, but I thought the strips would be more enticing to make my son eat and he did eat it.
RedChillies says
Madhu I can so relate to your story about your kiddo. i read the other part in the blue berry favored milk also. My kid is pretty much the same; when I tell him that the neighor kid N finished drinking he gulps it down. Also what he fancies today, he does not like it the next day. 😕
I like your idea of blueberry/strawberry juice. The milkshake with all fruit pulp does not work here as well. I also like the idea of adding maple syrup which is think is very clever.
Thanks RC. I tried cherry juice also from the book and that is good too. It blends so well in chocolate milk. Will post it soon.
Namratha says
That looks fabulous Madhu, very inviting! 🙂
Sweatha.j says
Hi Madhu,Saw the comment on muffins.Thanks.And the prunes blend well and I did not feel that the muffins had prunes.The muffins do not have prune taste at all.I used prunes in a packet-deerfield farms brand,which I had to soak in water to soften and then grind.I am not sure whether other forms of prunes add to the taste.Hope I satisfied the query. 😛
Purnima says
Madhuram, extremely useful..thks for sharing this new technique! I used to wonder despite the straining why kids don't like the str. milk or juice? Now stands resolved! Hv both fresh as well as frozen berries here..shall try n post feed back..hope both my devils glob it! What a timely recipe, loved the instructions n notes too!! THANKS yet again!!
Soma says
Love strawberry milk. I have never tried making the juice this way, but I think this would have a more professional taste, like a store bought syrup.
& thank you so much for trying out the bhaji, more so for letting me know. Hope u enjoy:-)
SS says
Yes I do, love the color. Reminds me of rose milk back home.
RedChillies says
Madhu, I was just about read to bang my head against a wall in the morning based on my son's eating antics. 😕
He is 3 years old and is pretty much the same way as your kiddo. Tell him stories about other kids and he manages to gulp down something.
I did that too, mix in berries and bananas in milk and give it as milkshake and he hates it. I loved your idea od strawberry/blueberry juice and also adding maple syrup to this.
Sukanya Ramkumar says
This sounds to be so good. So cool. Nice recipe... 😛
Uma says
lovely milk! Pretty in pink! My little one loves this strawberry milk so much! 🙂
Sweatha.j says
I love strawberry milk and you r right about the methods-simply blending leaves some seeds whereas this method with juice is more flavourful and looks storebght -nesquik milk.Love it Madhu
Cham says
Sure kids will enjoy this colorful drink 😀
anudivya says
Two flavored milks in a row! Hmm, I wish I was there, I would gladly drink up.
Happy Cook says
Oh yes please and for me a whole glass too.
Delicious
Priya says
Falvoursome Milk Madhu..looks delish....kinda easy one..