I’ve been feeling a little guilty recently.
Over the past few weeks of testing recipes, I’ve been nonstop feeding my family and friends a crazy amount of dessert experiments.
They’ve been savoring multiple servings of cookies, cakes, ice cream, and so many other sugar-packed, carb-happy, dairy-filled sweets.
But with bloated bellies and gradually rising weights on our bathroom scales, I knew it was time for a bit of a detox…
This silky and creamy dairy-free smoothie was my edible version of an apology.
With wholesome ingredients like frozen bananas, dates, hemp seeds, and cashew milk, this drink is an all-natural treat that’s packed with nutrients and flavor.
Even with no added sugar or dairy, this recipe is still very delicious. Plus, it has an addictingly rich, silky texture.
The tahini paste, made from ground sesame seeds, is a tasty and healthy replacement for peanut butter, perfect for anyone who has a peanut allergy. It’s thick and creamy like peanut butter, and has a toasted and slightly bitter taste that pairs well with the smoothie’s sweetness.
Find an option that has no added ingredients like sugar or salt, like Soom’s Premium Sesame Tahini, with 100% roasted and pressed sesame seeds.
Need a little dessert detox in your life? Make this smoothie now to still enjoy something sweet, all while staying healthy!
Tahini Banana Smoothie
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 small servings 1x
Description
Want to enjoy a tasty beverage with zero guilt? Try our rich and creamy dairy-free tahini banana smoothie, naturally sweetened with dates.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cashew milk (or milk of your choice)
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 4 dates, pitted and quartered
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds (or substitute chia or ground flax seeds)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- If the dates feel hard, soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes to soften. Remove from the water and let cool.
- Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend at high speed until everything is incorporated and the mixture is completely smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour into two cups, and garnish with cinnamon and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Gather and Prep
Measure out the cashew milk, tahini, hemp seeds, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Remove the bananas from the freezer.
If the dates are not pitted, use a sharp knife and sturdy cutting board to remove the pits and cut into quarters.
Step 2 – Soak the Dates
For the smoothest, silkiest mixture, I recommend soaking the dates in hot water to soften them. They will blend more easily with the other ingredients.
Place the pitted and quartered dates in a heatproof bowl. Pour hot water over them. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes until softened.
Remove from the water and let cool.
Step 3 – Blend Ingredients
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend at high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about one minute.
Step 4 – Serve
Pour into two cups, and garnish with cinnamon and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy while still cold!
The Creamiest Smoothie Ever – With No Guilt!
After force-feeding my roomie the latest test batch of buttery saffron cardamom cookies, I knew I needed to make something healthier. She’s suffered long enough from my endless bombardment of sweet experiments.
Is anyone really complaining, though?
For a temporary break from the usual decadent desserts, I quickly whipped up a batch of this smoothie, and served it to the roomie for a late-night treat.
Needless to say, she was very thankful.
With the perfect blend of sweet and savory from the dates and sesame seed paste, a hint of spice from the cinnamon, and a creamy, dreamy texture from the bananas and nut milk, you’ll be rewarding yourself with great flavor and a nutritious drink. It’s wonderful for breakfast, too!
Feel free to change up the flavors – try different spices, like cardamom, or add some fruit to make the flavor even fresher. Other than protein-packed hemp seeds, there are so many other tasty superfood add-ins for you to try.
Looking for more creamy smoothie recipes? We have a bunch for your blender:
- Berry Date
- Chocolate Banana
- Orange Ginger Sunshine
- Pomegranate Banana
- Pumpkin Pie
- Chocolate Banana Kefir
How do you indulge healthfully? What are your go-to recipes to make that seem so decadent, but are truly good for you? Share your favorites in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate this recipe!
Don’t forget to Pin It!
Photos by Nikki Cervone, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Tahini sample provided by Soom.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Nikki Cervone
Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
