Gajar Halwa Infused Skinny Smoothie

I know….it is a classic example of an oxymoron, right? Gajar halwa and skinny ? But wait…you can have your cake…or in this case gajar halwa…. and drink it too 🙂

Gajar or carrot halwa is a well-known Indian dessert made even more famous by Bollywood movies, in which the mom shows her love by making gajar ka halwa for her son 🙂

It is made with cooked carrots, milk, ghee, sugar and nuts. For me gajar ka halwa conjures up images of a ghee laden dessert. Of course I like it… the more the ghee the better it tastes, making me wonder how often I should really make it….you know my problem with portion control 😦

So I thought of a carrot/gajar halwa flavored almond milk smoothie! It definitely satisfied my craving for gajar halwa, and I can have it as often as I like! And unlike gajar halwa, this is ready in a jiffy too!

Ingredients-

• 1 cup grated carrots. I used organic carrots
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• A pinch of saffron, crushed
• 1 cup almond milk. I used Pacific brand, organic, vanilla flavored almond milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 green cardamoms, shelled and the pods powdered

To make the Gajar Halwa infused smoothie-

1. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the grated carrots and the ghee. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir in the crushed saffron. Let the mixture cool.
2. In a blender, add the cooled carrot mixture, almond milk, sugar and the powdered cardamom. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour over ice and enjoy!