Recipe: Banana-Date Smoothie
Recently, a friend mentioned a smoothie that she’d tried in a café and loved — she didn’t have the recipe, but knew it included bananas, dates, cardamom, and a squeeze of lime. I was a little skeptical, but cardamom is officially my weak spot since traveling twice to India, so of course I had to try recreating it. Although I’ll never know if this is precisely the smoothie my friend loved, I don’t really care — this blend is perfection for me.
The flavors in this smoothie are an effortless waltz of exotic, comforting, and complementary.
Although the bananas and dates already make this a filling breakfast, I added chia seeds for additional carrying power to get me through the morning. The cardamom, of course, is pure bliss. I was unnecessarily skeptical about the lime — it’s not a distinct flavor, but rather adds a light touch and keeps the smoothie from being too heavy. The last dash of cinnamon and sea salt? That’s what takes this smoothie right over the top.
Banana-Date Smoothie
Makes about 4 cups
Serves 2
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2
medium ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup
pitted dried dates, such as Medjool
- 2 cups
almond milk
- 2 teaspoons
chia seeds, soaked if time allows (see Recipe Note)
- 1/2 teaspoon
ground cardamom
- 1/2
medium lime, juiced
- 4
ice cubes
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide between 2 cups and serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon and salt. Best if served immediately. (Makes about 4 cups total.)
Recipe Notes
Soaking chia seeds: If time allows, soak the chia seeds in 4 teaspoons of water for an hour. The chia seeds will turn into gel, making them easier to blend. Larger batches of chia seeds can also be soaked (2:1 ratio water to chia seeds) and kept refrigerated for up to 1 week.