I had this smoothie at a cafe in the Middle East over Christmas. Such a perfect combination of flavours – I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it earlier. At the time I was hungry but didn’t feel like eating a large meal. This smoothie was the perfect remedy for curbing the hunger pangs. I was determined to make myself one as soon as I got home but forgot all about it until this weekend when I rediscovered it in a café in Avalon. It was a hot day, too hot to eat a proper lunch, so once again I turned to this smoothie for a quick fix. I use full fat milk and yoghurt so I get a good combination of fat, protein and carbs in one drink. You can of course swap for low fat dairy options or soy. Dates are high in fibre, non haem iron, selenium and potassium. They can help reduce cholesterol, improve bowel function, build blood and prevent oxidation in the body. They are also rich in other vitamins and minerals such as B complex, calcium and magnesium. Dates contain lots of simple sugars making them ideal for an instant energy boost. Bananas are also high in potassium, fibre, magnesium and B6 and in simple sugars when ripe. I like to combine these fruits with full fat dairy in an attempt to slow down the absorption of the sugars into the bloodstream. You could add a couple of prunes for extra fibre if you like. This is a calorie-laden smoothie but it tastes good and its full of good stuff.
- 1/3 cup of boiling water
- 4 dried dates (pitted)
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 ½ tablespoon of organic full fat natural yoghurt
- Organic unhomogenised full fat milk
Soak the dates in the hot water for 30 minutes until soft. Then combine the dates, soaking water, banana and yoghurt in a blender and blend until smooth. Add milk to a smoothie thickness of your liking as you blend.
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