Easy-to-make, refreshing drinks for Ramadan

Saleha Irfan, Senior Sub-Editor/Reporter

Since Ramadan falls in the summer months, it is crucial to rehydrate and replenish the fluids that your body has lost after a long day of fasting. Yes, it is always good to drink water at Iftar but sometimes you crave a little extra.

Instead of reaching for sugary sodas, why not give these healthy alternatives a try?

The strawberry banana smoothie is a simple 3-ingredient drink that makes use of the natural sugar present in the banana. The same is true for the creamy date shake, which derives its sweet flavour from the dates.

For both these drinks, you can always add honey for an extra kick of sweetness.

STRAWBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE

This is the smoothie to trump all smoothies. This traditional smoothie’s flavour is the perfect blend of berry and creamy. What’s more is that, since bananas are naturally packed with a lot of sugar, it omits the need for any kind of sweeteners. Also, to keep it simple, I have always used the 1:1:1 ratio for the ingredients of this smoothie.

Ingredients

2 bananas, sliced

2 cups strawberries, halved

2 cups (500ml) milk

Method

1. Pour milk in the jar of the blender.

2. Add the halved strawberries and the sliced bananas.

3. Blend until smooth and serve.

CREAMY DATE SHAKE

Dates are a staple in Ramadan. No Iftar table is complete without them. Naturally sweetened by the sugar in the dates, this shake is the ultimate drink to have in Ramadan. For this shake, you can use any kind of dates. The trick is to soak them in milk for at least half an hour so they become soft and can be blended easily.

10 to 12 dates, deseeded and soaked

2 cups (500ml) milk, divided

2 tablespoon Nestle cream

1 teaspoon honey

Method

1. Deseed the dates and soak them in 1/4 cup of milk for half an hour (or more, if you have the time).

2. In a blender, add this mixture and blend until smooth.

3. Add the remaining milk, cream and honey.