Our Strawberry Mango Kefir Smoothie tastes like sunshine in a glass! This gorgeous layered smoothie stars Lifeway Lowfat Strawberry Kefir, which boosts this blended creation with protein and live probiotics to every sip. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, mango, pineapple, and banana bring the sweet tropical flavor we all know and love about summer recipes. Featuring freshly muddled strawberries in the base, this summer smoothie is the perfect gut-healthy drink for all the warm days ahead!
Benefits of This Beautiful Blend:
Mango, strawberries, and pineapple are all packed with vitamin C. This common vitamin is a true workhouse for our health, and fruits like these are some of the best sources. Vitamin C supports a healthy immune system, boosts natural collagen production in the skin when paired with protein rich foods, and it helps fight free radicals in the skin that we encounter from the environment and the sun.
The fruits in this recipe are also rich in prebiotic fiber that feeds gut bacteria, while pineapple and mango contain natural enzymes that assist with digestion. Even better, all of these fruits are easy to find year round whether you choose to use them fresh or frozen. When blended with Lifeway Kefir, they create a gut-healthy smoothie that helps to support your inner glow without breaking the bank.
Speaking of Lifeway Kefir, it has so many benefits with plenty of reasons to enjoy it. Our cultured kefir is a natural fermented food that contains complete protein, and it helps support bones and muscles with calcium and vitamin D. See more reasons to love our kefir here, and learn about the benefits of obtaining probiotics vs. supplements here.
Now it’s time to whip out your blender and give this recipe a go! Find our kefir at a store near you here, and check out more Lifeway recipes here to explore even more ways to enjoy it.
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese,a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Servings: 2Ingredients
Muddled Strawberry Base:
- 8 fresh strawberries, quartered/sliced
- 1 tsp. raw honey or pure maple syrup
Smoothie:
- 2 cups Lowfat Strawberry Kefir
- **or try our Lowfat or Whole Milk Organic Mango Kefir
- 2 tsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
- 1/2 cup frozen banana slices (about 1 frozen banana)
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh pineapple cubes
- 2 cups frozen mango
Optional Garnishes:
- fresh strawberry slices
- low sugar granola
- nuts or seeds of choice
Directions
- Make the Muddled Strawberry Base: Add the strawberries and maple syrup to a cup and mash with a muddler until broken down; set aside.
- Place the Lifeway Strawberry Kefir (or Mango Lifeway Kefir), lime or lemon juice, banana, pineapple, and mango into a blender. Blend until creamy, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed to encourage blending. If your machine has a tamper, use it as the mixture will be very thick.
- Divide the muddled strawberries from step 1 between two glasses. Then fill each glass with an equal amount of smoothie on top of the muddled strawberry base, and add garnishes of choice(fresh fruit, nuts, or seeds, or granola). Enjoy!
