FROZEN STRAWBERRY-COCONUT SMOOTHIE WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Frozen Strawberry-Coconut Smoothie With Pomegranate Molasses image

Fruity pomegranate molasses is the perfect sweetener for this thick strawberry smoothie. This summer I bought a flat of strawberries, and soon afterward realized that they were going to go off before I had a chance to use them. So I hulled them and froze them in small freezer bags (a heaping cup, or 6 ounces, per bag), and now I'm using them for smoothies. When I was working on this smoothie I felt that it needed something to sweeten it, but what? I looked in my cupboard and saw a bottle of pomegranate molasses, and voilà! Now I know that pomegranate molasses, with its fruity, tangy yet sweet flavor, is perfect for red fruit smoothies of all kinds. This one is enriched with cashews, soaked in water for a few hours or overnight, chia seeds (also soaked), and oatmeal.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Yield 1 generous serving

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons rolled oats
2 to 3 tablespoons hot or boiling water (enough to just cover the oats)
1 heaping cup frozen strawberries (about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon soaked chia seeds (1 teaspoon unsoaked)
6 cashews, soaked overnight or for several hours in water to cover (about 1/2 ounce) and drained
1/3 cup light coconut milk
2/3 cup fresh or commercial orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses

Steps:

Combine the rolled oats and hot or boiling water in a small bowl or ramekin and leave until the oatmeal is soft, about 15 minutes (alternatively, soak in cold water overnight).
Place all of the ingredients (including the soaked oatmeal) in a blender and blend at high speed for 1 minute. Serve at once.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 419, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 59 grams, Fat 18 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 9 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 31 milligrams, Sugar 32 grams, TransFat 0 grams