Cashew Cardamom & Date Smoothie
I’ve been on a major cardamom kick recently. If you haven’t tried my Cardamom Spiced Winter Porridge or Spiced Parsnip Muffins with Cashew-Cardamom Cream yet then you must jump on it! We’ve been enjoying the porridge for breakfast on a daily basis. The muffins are definitely a treat and I plan on making them again over the weekend. However, as good as those two breakfasts options are, every once in a while a couple of farmers just need a simple smoothie to kick start the day.
This smoothie has everything I love. Creamy homemade nut milk, sweet dates and spicy cardamom. Over the past 6 months I’ve been switching up my homemade almond milk for cashew milk and sometimes even hazelnut milk. It’s been such a nice change and the cashew milk is definitely my favorite because you don’t have to strain the pulp (one less step!) I love how smooth and slightly sweet the cashews are which make this “milk” extra good in coffee, on cereal and of course, in smoothies. Feel free to use store bought cashew milk here but I’m not always a fan of the ingredients list on store bought nut milks which is why I’ve been making my own for the past year. It’s a simple process. I follow this guideline for my cashew milk and it always turns out fabulous. However, if you don’t feel like blending up your own milk or can’t find cashew milk at the store you can substitute with another nut milk- the flavor will be a little different but still delicious.
What I love about this particular smoothie is that it is a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. I’m loving cardamom so much at the moment (it’s so warming in the wintertime) that I’ve started to mix a pinch of ground cardamom with my ground coffee in the filters when I make my morning cup of joe. It’s been a game changer and I’m so happy my girlfriend Natalie gave me the idea to try it!
Anyhow, if you love cardamom as much as I do you’ll really enjoy this smoothie. Like I said, if you don’t feel like making your own nut milk you can skip that part of the instructions. Regardless of which method you choose get ready to enjoy your morning just a little more with this new treat. Grab a straw and seize the day!
Cashew, Cardamon & Date Smoothie
Prep Time: 5 minutes (not including soaking) Cook Time: 0 minutes Serves: 2
For the cashew milk: (this will make a milk with the consistency of 2% milk)- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in a bowl of water for at least two hours
- 4 cups of water, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- dash of fine sea salt
- 1 cup cashew milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 Tablespoon raw cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
- 1 large frozen banana
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 Medjool dates, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes, pitted and chopped
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (definitely start with 1/4 and add more if you like the kick)
Preparation
- Drain the cashews from the soaking water and rinse until the water runs clear. Place the cashews along with 2 cups of water into your high speed blender. Blend on high until the cashews are totally pulverized. This could take up to 2 minutes. Add the remaining two cups of water, vanilla extract, (if using) and a pinch of fine sea salt. Blend until smooth. If your blender can't break down the cashews completely you can strain through a fine mesh strainer or nut milk bag. Store the milk in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Place all ingredients for the smoothie into a high speed blender and whirl away until smooth. Taste test and adjust seasonings if need be.
Notes
* Soaking the dates in hot water for a couple of minutes helps to soften them which makes them blend easier. I always recommend buying dates that are incredibly soft to begin with but I still find soaking them in hot water for a couple of minutes makes a big difference in smoothness for the smoothies. *Use this recipe as a guide and adjust the measurements and ingredients to suit your preference/needs. *The recipe for the cashew milk is adapted from the blog Cookie and Kate
This sounds devine! I’ve been on a bit of a cashew butter kick lately and don’t see a reason to stop anytime soon..haha! I love the cardamon in there, I’ll give it a try for brekkie soon. Thanks for sharing! Glad I came across your blog today 🙂
I’m happy you stumbled upon the blog today too!
I’ve been super into cardamom lately too- especially cardamom essential oil! This sounds exquisite!
Just finished drinking this. It was amazing!! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
I’m so happy you loved it as much as we do! It’s hand’s down my favorite smoothie of all time!
Substitute almond milk and almonds?
you can substitute with any nut based milk or nut butter of your choice. I hope you enjoy the smoothie!
I just made this smoothie, with the cashewmilk I made earlier today.. So glad you post this! It’s really really good. I am actually not much into alternative milks, but this one is delicious. Mostly I find them watery, but definitely not this one.
Mentioning chai made me wonder if you can steep tea in cashew milk, and then follow your recipe. I love chai made with strong black tea.