There are so many ways to use dates in your diet.
They can be used as an ingredient in desserts or sweetened drinks, but they also have great benefits when it comes to weight loss.
Dates contain fiber which will help keep you full longer than other foods while still providing enough energy to get through your day.
Dates also contain potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins B1, B2, C and E, folate, copper and zinc.
All these nutrients come together to provide your body with everything needed for proper nutrition.
What’s The Best Date Shake Recipe?
The easiest place to start if you want to make a delicious date shake is to pick out some good-quality dried dates that aren’t too soft.
You don’t want them mushy because then you won’t be able to break them up into small pieces easily.
If you want to take things one step further, buy those pre-cut Medjool dates (or any kind) from Trader Joe’s because they’re already cut up and ready to go.
This means you can skip all the chopping part and move on to mixing and shaking.
Now, let’s talk about what goes into making a date shake.
Here’s what I like to put in my shake:
- 3 large bananas
- 4 cups low fat milk (I usually use 2%)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 pitted dates
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 pinch salt
To make this nutritious shake, simply blend everything in a blender until smooth.
Add more liquid if necessary, depending on how thick you would like your shake to be.
Pour into glasses and serve immediately.
If you prefer not to add honey to your shakes, you can sub it for another type of sugar such as brown rice syrup.
Brown rice syrup has less calories per gram than regular table sugar and provides a healthier alternative to honey.
You could always try adding cinnamon instead of honey if you don’t like the taste of sweets.
Cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce inflammation in the digestive tract.
It also helps lower cholesterol levels, reduces blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity.
Another option is using agave nectar instead of honey.
Agave nectar is made by boiling down the juice extracted from the agave plant.
The result is a natural sweetener that doesn’t raise blood glucose levels nearly as much as white sugar does.
Since agave nectar doesn’t affect blood glucose levels, it can be consumed without having to worry about hypoglycemia symptoms.
How Do You Make A Date Shake?
The first step is choosing what kind of date shake you want to create.
There are two basic types of shakes that involve dates, one being a smoothie and the other being a milkshake.
Both are delicious and both are easy to make.
However, there are some differences between them so let’s start off by discussing each type individually.
- Date Smoothies
- Date Milkshakes
Date Smoothies Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup water
4 Medjool dates (frozen)
½ cup vanilla almond milk (or any type of milk)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
Preparation:
Place all ingredients into blender and blend until completely smooth.
Date Milkshakes Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups ice cubes
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
8 pitted dates
Dash nutmeg
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.
Serve immediately.
What’s In A Date Shake?
Date shakes are one of my favorites because I love how healthy and filling they are.
The only thing that could improve them would be if there was some sort of protein added to give me even more value from what I am putting into my body.
Protein has been shown to increase satiety (the feeling of being satisfied after eating) and reduce hunger between meals.
Since I don’t eat much meat, however, I decided not to add any extra protein powder to this recipe.
If you want to try adding some whey protein to your date shake, here’s a guide on how to mix protein powders correctly.
The first step to making a delicious date shake is to soak the dates in water overnight.
Here’s why we’re soaking our dates before using them in recipes like this one.
You’ll notice that most people buy dried dates rather than fresh ones.
Dried dates may seem convenient, but since they aren’t usually organic or grown locally, they tend to lack flavor.
If you choose to purchase dry dates, consider buying organic or local varieties.
You can find both online at places like Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market.
Once the dates are soaked, drain them well and transfer them to a blender along with the coconut milk, ice cubes and cinnamon sticks.
Blend until smooth.
Add 1-3 drops of stevia depending on your preference.
Then pour the mixture into glasses and serve immediately.
Try this date shake recipe once and see if you think it tastes good.
Once you’ve had it, let us know in the comments below!
How Many Dates Do You Need For A Date Shake?
A single date has about 15 calories (about 1/4 cup) and 3 grams of carbohydrates.
So if you were drinking one ounce of liquid per serving, that would mean you’d need three tablespoons of dates.
If you’re making a larger batch then you may want to double up on the amount of dates you add.
What’s The Best Way To Make A Date Shake?
The first thing that I thought about was making something like a smoothie or blended fruit juice.
But after reading up on how much sugar there actually is in most smoothies (especially if you’re using frozen fruits), I decided not to go down that route.
Instead, I chose to make this delicious date shake because it only has 4 grams of sugar per serving!
When choosing what type of blender to buy, I chose one that had “blend until frothy” written all over it.
It makes blending a lot easier since you don’t have to strain anything out afterwards.
If you want to make this at home, here’s what you will need:
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups pitted dates
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Pinch of salt
This may sound like a lot of ingredients, but once you blend them together you won’t even notice any of those missing ingredients.
You might find yourself adding more dates next time though…
I recommend buying organic dates whenever possible.
Not only does organic produce taste better, but it’ll save you money too!
The reason why organic dates work so well is because they haven’t been treated with chemicals or pesticides.
What’s The Easiest Way To Make A Date Shake?
The simplest way to make a date shake would be using frozen fruit such as bananas, mangoes or peaches.
However, if you don’t want to spend money on buying fresh fruit, then another option is to buy dried fruits such as dates, raisins, apricots, prunes or even figs.
Using any type of dried fruit works well in this recipe because all of them contain natural sugars that will add up to the overall flavor of the finished product.
You may think that adding milk to this recipe makes it too heavy for a healthy treat, but there are plenty of reasons why you should not shy away from dairy products.
Milk contains protein, vitamin D, calcium and other important minerals that our bodies need every single day.
Adding yogurt into the mix adds more probiotics (good bacteria) that helps promote digestive health and keeps us feeling fuller for longer.
If you don’t like the taste of plain yogurt, try mixing different flavors together to create your own unique combination.
The possibilities are endless.
Now that you know how to make a date shake, let’s find out what else you can do with it.
What’s The Quickest Way To Make A Date Shake?
Making a date shake isn’t difficult at all.
It’s actually pretty easy to make one using fresh fruits and vegetables.
The best part about making your own healthy shakes is that you don’t need any special equipment.
You just need some basic kitchen tools which include a cutting board, knife, measuring cups, whisk and spoon.
If you’re not comfortable with those items yet, there are plenty more options available on Amazon.
The first step is to prepare your fruit and vegetable mixture by peeling them if necessary.
Then chop up whatever you want into bite-sized pieces and put them in a large bowl.
Next, add the remaining ingredients from above and mix well until combined.
You should now remove the date pit and discard it because it’s bitter (unless you like bitterness).
Once you’ve done that, pour the mixture into a glass jar or container and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
When you wake up in the morning, give the mixture another stir and then serve it chilled and topped with whipped cream or ice cubes.
You’ll love how much better it tastes compared to store bought versions.
If you’d prefer something less filling, try adding water instead of milk to thin out the consistency.
Just remember to always check labels before buying products containing dairy or soy.
How Do You Make A Date Shake Without A Blender?
This recipe takes the blender out by using crushed dates instead of blending them into a smoothie.
The result is a delicious, creamy, cold treat that’s easy on the stomach, quick to prepare and packed with flavor.
To start off, add 1 cup (240ml) water to a small saucepan over medium heat.
Once boiling, remove from heat and allow to cool completely before transferring to a large bowl.
Add 2 cups (480ml) milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup (60g) honey, 4 tablespoons lemon juice and 3 pitted dates.
Combine well until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Add the remaining dates, crushing each one between your hands until a paste forms.
Transfer mixture back into the saucepan, bring to a boil once again then turn down the temperature to low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in ¾cup (180ml) melted butter along with some fresh mint leaves.
Pour into mason jars or glasses and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
The next step is optional.
If you want a thicker consistency, simply place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the shake and press firmly against the jar/glass.
Allow to sit overnight before drinking.
You can also freeze the shakes in individual servings if desired.
Just let sit for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
How Do You Make A Date Shake Without Ice Cream?
Ice cream is delicious; however, if you’re trying to lose some weight, you may want to look at different options.
If you don’t like having ice cream or any kind of frozen dessert on a daily basis, try one of our recipes that require no added sugar and fat.
We made several versions of shakes using ingredients such as strawberries and pineapple, but we found that adding dates to the mix was too good to pass up.
If you really love the taste of ice cream, then there’s nothing wrong with making a classic vanilla-based shake.
However, if you prefer something sweeter, there is another option.
You could simply add more dates into your regular shake recipe.
But, what happens when you need to make a batch of shakes quickly?
Well, instead of throwing a bunch of dates into your food processor, why not find a way to incorporate them right into your shake?
The answer is not only easy, but very tasty.
All you will need is fresh fruit – preferably peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, mangoes, pears, apples, bananas, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries and/or strawberries.
These fruits all contain natural sugars that will give your shake a nice balance between sweet and tart flavors.
What’s The Healthiest Way To Make A Date Shake?
The best way to prepare a healthy date shake is by blending all of the ingredients into one smoothie.
This helps prevent lumps from forming due to different densities between each of the ingredients.
You may add some water if necessary to thin out the mixture before drinking it.
If you want something even more delicious, try adding some fresh mint leaves to give the shake that extra kick of flavor!
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ½ cup Deglet Noor pitted
- Pinch cinnamon ground
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly darkened in color and fragrant. Allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, place dates in a small bowl and cover with 12 cup hot water; soak for 10 minutes to soften.
- In a blender, combine walnuts, dates with their soaking liquid, cinnamon, and salt until a coarse paste forms. Blend in the ice cream and 34 cup cracked ice until smooth. Divide the shake evenly between two glasses.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.