Homemade Strawberry Milk

Why should you try it?

• It's a cooling, refreshing antioxidant-rich drink perfect for Summer!
• It's extra delicious. Fruity, sweet, and silky smooth.
• It's packed with vitamin C, proteins and fibers.
• It's quite filling and nutritious, a great drink for weight loss.
• It's made with a few simple ingredients and without added sugars.
• It's super easy to whip up + plus kids love it!

Ingredients used

You will need only a few simple pantry ingredients for this beautiful strawberry milk recipe.

• Strawberries. Strawberries are an amazing fruit. They are loaded with vitamin C and many other powerful immune-boosting antioxidants. (Source) I love them because they are low-carb, reduce inflammation and keep our gut and heart healthy. (Source) I used fresh strawberries for this strawberry milk, but frozen works fine too.
• Milk of choice. I used oat milk, but any dairy or non-dairy milk such as almond, cashew, or soy milk will work fine here.
• Cold water. I added a 1:1 ratio of water to milk for a lighter texture.
• Ice cubes.
• Sweetener (optional). I usually don't like adding extra sugar to drinks like this. It's just unnecessary. But if you like strawberry milk to be sweeter, you can add some Maple syrup. See "Recipe tips" for more suggestions.

To make fresh strawberry milk more interesting, creamy, and super healthy, I also added:

• Collagen powder. I used vanilla-flavored. Scroll down to find out more about the benefits of using collagen powder.

Benefits of taking collagen supplements

I've been using collagen for quite some time. It's a part of my daily healthy diet for years.

Collagen is a type of protein. In fact, it’s the most abundant structural protein in our body. It's the major component of connective tissues in tendons, ligaments, skin and muscles. Human bodies create collagen naturally but over time, the production of this protein slows down.

Since collagen is important for our joint health, healthy looking and youthful skin, healthy hair, and protecting our cartilage and bones, people look to supplements to increase their collagen intake.

Health benefits of collagen supplements include:

• It’s nutritious. Two scoop of  collagen has around 20 g of protein which will give you nice nutritional boost.
• It supports hair, skin and nail health. Collagen is known to support the elasticity of the skin and the overall appearance and strength of hair, nails, and skin.
• Aids in improving the integrity of the gut lining. Leaky gut, or increased intestinal permeability is incredibly common and directly related to autoimmunity and digestion issues. The collagen helps to regenerate the gut linen. 
• Supports connective tissue and joint health. As a person ages, their joints start to break down. In particular, the spongy cartilage of the joints starts to wear away. Collagen supplements can help with restoring or preventing the deterioration of the cartilage in the joints. (Source)
• Prevents bone loss. Collagen makes up a significant amount of bone structure and helps keep the bones strong. As we age, collagen production slows and bones become weaker. This can lead to the development of conditions such as osteoporosis. Collagen supplements may help prevent the deterioration of bone density and strength. (Source)

There are many types of collagen supplement. I use Type 1 and Type 3 collagen, sourced from grass-fed bovine. 

You can add collagen powder to to smoothies, soups, snacks or drinks - like this homemade strawberry milk.

How to make Strawberry Milk

Making this fresh strawberry milk is quite easy. It will take you 5 minutes and all you need is a good blender.

Step by step instructions

• Step 1: Prepare the ingredients.
  • Start with preparing and measuring all the ingredients. I like to use measuring cups.
  • If you are using fresh strawberries, wash them and remove strawberry stems.
• Step 2: Mix the ingredients.
  • Take the blender and add all ingredients. Note: add wet ingredients first for easier blending.
  • Turn on the blender and mix at high speed until you get a smooth texture.
  • Strawberry milk should be runny, not thick like smoothie. So if the texture is too thick, add a little more liquid – milk or water. Blend again until the milk is smooth.
  • Taste the strawberry milk and add additional sweetener if you like. (See the "Sweetener recommendation" for suggestions)
• Step 3: Serve the drink.
  • Transfer the strawberry milk into a tall glass. 
  • Add toppings (optional): I used bee pollen.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Substitutions

• You can use fresh or frozen strawberries.
• You can use any plant-based milk here except coconut milk. Coconut milk (from a box) won't work well here in terms of pairing with other flavors. Cow's milk works well too.
• You can use any type of collagen powder.
• You can use unflavored collagen powder. In that case, you will need to add a sweetener. I recommend maple syrup or liquid honey. 

Tips for storing

• Store in a smoothie cup with a lid and keep refrigerated for up to one day.
• If you left milk standing long it will set. Don't forget to shake or stir it before drinking!
• Remember, all fruity drinks oxidate when left standing. That's not bad. But it's best to have the strawberry milk fresh.

Recipe tips

• When you're adding ingredients to a blender, always add the liquids first. Doing this will help your blender run easily and it will prevent lumps.
• Use a high-power blender to ensure everything blends well and the smoothie is silky smooth. 
• Fresh strawberries are the best for making this fruity drink. They blend into a really delicious, fruity drink with amazing fresh flavor. Just don't forget to add ice cubes for a cold punch.
• Frozend strawberries work well too. They give thicker and creamier texture.
• Always use unsweetened non-dairy milk to avoid uncescessery sugars. Read the ingredients list on the back of the label.

Sweetener recommendation

This strawberry milk is made with real strawberries. I don't recommend adding any extra sugar. But if you find the milk not sweet enough, you can add some.

• Add 1-2 dates, date syrup, liquid honey, or maple syrup.
• If you are using dates, make sure you soak them in warm water for at least 10 minutes. Drain them before using them.
• Use liquid stevia or any liquid low-carb sweetener for the low-carb option.
• Coconut sugar or any other cristal sugar won't work well here. It will not dissolve well in a cold smoothie mixture.

You may like these healthy smoothies too:

• Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie
• Strawberry Mango Smoothie
• Strawberry Spirulina Smoothie