My favorite falafel shop, Taim, has not only the best falafels around, but also incredible smoothies and juices. One of their specialties is a banana and date smoothie. Great idea right?
A homemade version is cheaper and just as tasty, if not even more so, with the addition of a little vanilla. It turns out that with a little soak in some water, dates are pretty easy to blend, and their sweet molasses-ey flavor is just right with the bananas.
Dates are a great quick energy food if you are heading out for a run, bike ride or if you know you won’t be able to eat for a while. If I have a couple dates just before a run I always feel a little peppier.
Oh, did I mention this is insanely delicious?
[ad]Banana Date Smoothie
Ingredients
- 5 dates
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 banana ripe
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Remove the pits from the dates and place them in a bowl. Cover them with 1/2 cup of water and leave for 10 minutes to overnight. The longer you leave them to soak the easier they will be to blend. If you have a high powered blender you can skip this step.
- Add the dates and water to a blender or food processor and blend for two minutes until you have a smooth, milky looking mixture. A few small chunks are okay!
- Add the banana and vanilla and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy!