If you’re looking for new smoothie or shake ideas, try this Date Shake with Bananas and Peanut Butter – it’s naturally sweet and super filling. You can enjoy it for breakfast, as a snack or dessert, which is my preference. Made with all natural ingredients and no added sugar, this date smoothie is packed full of protein and fiber. It’s going to keep you feeling full for a while!
Smoothies and shakes are a quick and easy breakfast to make for the whole family and they often appear on busy mornings in our house. Dates, banana and peanut butter create a wonderful tasting smoothie that’s healthy for the whole family. It actually tastes as good as dessert!
Ingredients in a Date Shake:
- 2 bananas frozen
- 4 dates pitted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- Bananas: I like to use frozen bananas as they eliminate the need for ice which can dilute and thin the shake. They make the shake creamy and they are a great source of vitamins and minerals and give you energy.
- Dates: A great source of antioxidants, and they help to create a sweet smoothie without the need for added refined sugar.
- Chia seeds: I include chia seeds in my diet wherever I can! They are nutrient dense and rich in fatty acids, fiber and antioxidants. They help to bulk up the date shake with plant-based protein.
- Peanut butter: Peanut butter is high in protein as well as being delicious with banana! Can you think of a better combo?
- Milk: I like to use almond milk for this smoothie, but if you prefer you can use dairy milk or another plant based milk like soy or oat.
- Cinnamon: It gives it a warmer taste with a little kick. You can leave it out or switch to another spice like nutmeg, cloves or ginger.
Instructions:
It’s so quick and easy to make this smoothie. Simply add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender, and blend for 60-120 seconds until you get a smooth and creamy texture.
- Taste the smoothie, adding more milk if it is too thick or adding more sweetener if it’s not sweet enough for you. Pour into a cup or mason jar. Enjoy immediately, or store in fridge for up to 24 hours.
Tips:
- Drink this smoothie straight away, as once the ingredients start to oxidize they begin to loose nutrients. If you do want to make it ahead of time, cover the smoothie with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Allow time for your bananas to freeze. It will take about two hours for them to freeze so they are ready to use. I often keep several bananas in my freezer to grab whenever smoothies are on the menu. And the kids can help themselves to make their own smoothies.
- Use a high speed blender. There’s nothing worse than drinking a smoothie and getting chunks in your mouth. This is especially needed since we’re using dates. If you don’t have a high speed blender, I recommend stirring it every once in a while with a long spoon and blending for an extra 1 minute.
- Soften the dates with warm water. You can soften the dates for 10 minutes in warm water to make it easier to blend it into the date shake. This will especially help if you don’t have a super strong blender.
FAQ’s:
How ripe should the bananas be for this date shake?
I like to use slightly over ripe bananas in this date shake. They have more natural sweetness than just ripe bananas and they have more antioxidants too. When my bananas are starting to turn, I slice them and pop them in the freezer to stop them ripening further so I can grab them whenever I need.
Do you need to soften the dates for this smoothie?
If you use a high speed blender, you shouldn’t need to soften the dates, but if you don’t have one, you can soak them in warm water for 10 minutes. This will plump them up and soften them and they will be easier to blend.
Is a date shake a good breakfast?
This shake is a great breakfast option; although because of the higher sugar, I often have it as a midday snack or dessert. Still, it’s full of fiber and protein that will give you energy for the day and will keep you feeling full until lunch. It’s packed full of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants and is vegan to boot.
It’s so quick and easy to make this healthy breakfast or snack for your family. The kids love the sweetness and you know that you are loading them with all of the good stuff.
More Recipe Suggestions:
Date Coffee Loaf Cake with Walnuts and Rich Espresso Glaze
Chunky Monkey Protein Smoothie
Caramel Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Date Shake with Bananas and Peanut Butter
Equipment
- High Speed Blender I use a Ninja blender
Ingredients
- 2 bananas frozen
- 4 dates pitted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender, and blend for 60-120 seconds until you get a smooth and creamy texture.
- Taste the smoothie, adding more milk if it is too thick or adding more sweetener if it’s not sweet enough for you. Pour into a cup or mason jar. Enjoy immediately, or store in fridge for up to 24 hours.
Notes
Equipment: I make my smoothies in my Ninja. It has a “smoothie” button, so it does all the work for me until the ingredients are well blended.
