I’ve been known to turn up my nose at traditionally healthy ingredients – I can’t stand when taste is sacrificed for health (my love is, above all, delicious food). But I feel like that’s been turned on its head over the past couple years as I’ve slowly discovered that healthy food often tastes better than its junky counterparts. As I’ve weaned myself off of processed food, I’ve found that desserts, in particular, despite being so often seen as the epitome of indulgence, are better off with minimal sugar and good quality ingredients.
For the past few years, one of my favorite desserts has been what I call a banana milkshake. Frozen banana slices blended with milk result in a creamy delicious drink that I prefer to most traditional milkshakes made with ice cream. In the past, I’ve used honey to sweeten my milkshakes, but here I fall back on my experience studying in Lebanon where I tasted all kinds of delicious fresh juice blends and especially loved the ones where dates played a crucial role. This recipe is easily adapted – feel free to toss in some different fruits, add some spices, or change the proportions to your liking.
Banana Date Milkshake
Yield: 2 milkshakes
Ingredients:
- 10 – 12 dates, pitted
- 1 banana, sliced*
- 1/2 cup milk + more as needed
*I like to freeze my banana slices ahead of time when possible; this helps to make the milkshake cold and creamy, very similar to one made with ice cream.
Method:
- In a bowl, put 10 – 12 dates, pitted and enough warm water to cover. Soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain the dates, then blend with 1 banana, sliced and 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Add more milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Divide into two glasses and serve immediately.
+1 Frozen Bananas
I use them for my protein shakes. Tastes like a milkshake. Awesome.
Yes, I try to always keep some bananas in the freezer just in case! Most people are skeptical of the “tastes just like a milkshake” claim until they try it.