Spiced Maple Carrot Lassi: Iced Or Warm

• 1 cup finely grated raw organic peeled carrots
• 1/8 teaspoon ground green cardamom (ground seeds from 1 pod)
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon zested peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon real maple syrup (more for the warm version)
• 1 tablespoon linden or acacia honey, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice (sweet like a Cara Cara)
• 1 cup thick Greek yogurt, fage
• 2 ice cubes, crushed (for iced version)
• sprinkle of cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon for garnish
• fresh mint leaves for garnish

1. Use the spices which you really like and feel free to vary the amounts to favor particular ones. For the iced option one: Combine the spices, carrot, fruit, honey, syrup, zest and juice ingredients in a blender to puree: Process. Then add the yogurt and ice cubes. Process until smooth.
2. Pour into glasses and garnish with mint leaves and a sprinkle of all the spices you like.
3. For option two, put the grated carrots, spices, honey, maple syrup, zest and juice in a sauce pan. Cook until the carrots are softened, about 5-8 minutes. Let cool. Then process in a blender with the yogurt and ice. Serve as in Step 2.
4. For the warm option three, (where I suggest a bit more sweetener, maybe 1/2 tbl. more of honey) cook the carrots with sweeteners, juice and zest until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add the yogurt and simmer gently for another 5 minutes, but do not boil. Process in the blender and then pour into heat tolerant glasses. Garnish with spices and a drizzle of maple syrup.

carrots, ground green cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange zest, fresh ginger, maple syrup, linden, orange juice, version, cardamom, mint

Taken from food52.com/recipes/9761-spiced-maple-carrot-lassi-iced-or-warm (may not work)