Cool and creamy—this Tahini Date Shake is a perfect pick me up on a warm summer afternoon!
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Lately it feels like I drink a lot of coffee. A LOT. Blame it on the kids. Blame it on the rain. Blame it on Seattle culture. At the end of the day, I drink a lot more coffee than I ever used to, and I’ve been looking for a good alternative. Not so much a wake me up caffeine alternative, but more of a sweet and creamy dessert in a glass kind of swap. And I’ve found it! I’ve been ditching my afternoon cup of Joe for a new smoothie, and I couldn’t love it more. My Tahini Date Shake, aka a Tahini Smoothie, is super simple to make, is made with basic pantry/fridge ingredients, and fits the sweet//creamy//dessert categories perfectly! Better yet, it’s free of coffee, so it’s fine to give to my kids too, which means that I’m not making multiple treats! That’s always a bonus in my book!
Tahini
Tahini has long been my go to for a creamy nut sub, ever since Jonny was first diagnosed with his nut allergies. On it’s own it can be a little bit bitter, but it’s really not meant to be eaten on a spoon! Rather, it gives a terrific nutty flavor in both sweet and savory applications. I love it in my Tahini Mac and Cheese just as much as I love it in my Tahini Bon Bons. It’s a no brainer in Hummus. It even goes well in my Broccoli Slaw for a thick dressing that doesn’t use mayo. My favorite tahini is made by Soom. They even make a chocolate halva tahini spread that I adore. I eat a slice of chocolate tahini toast almost every morning. It’s amazing. For a more budget friendly option I really like the Kroger house brand Simply Organic, that I purchase at my local Fred Meyer.
Tahini Date Shake
Tahini, or sesame, is a common flavor in Asian desserts. It has a mellow nuttiness to it that allows it to go both sweet and savory, and gives such a unique flavor! You may have enjoyed sesame flavored bubble teas and steamed black sesame buns—so delicious!
Afternoon Pick Me Up
Don’t get me wrong. I love my iced coffee in the afternoon. Whether it’s my Coffee Date Shake or my Cold Brew Coffee Milk, both are always welcome in my kitchen. But this sweet Tahini Date Shake gives me that same sweet taste I crave (yes, I drink my coffee like dessert) without the caffeine which is not really needed come 3pm. A little bit of sweet on my way to afternoon school pick up and I’m good to go! I usually make this tahini smoothie with soy milk, so it gives a tiny boost of protein as well!
Sweetener of choice!
You can sweeten this cool shake in a couple of ways. You can be über wholesome and stick with just dates. You can be a little more indulgent and do just agave. Or you can be cool like me and do a little bit of both! 1 date + 1 teaspoon of agave = a pretty perfect sweet shake if you ask me!
Are you ready to get started? Then pull out your blender, pop your ingredients in, and blend for just 1 minute! You’re on your way to a sweet treat! Be sure to snap a pic of your Tahini Date Shake and share it on social media so that I can see. {#frieddandelions // @frieddandelions}
Tahini Date Shake
Ingredients
- 1 cup ice
- 3/4 cups non dairy milk (I like soy)
- 1 Tablespoon tahini
- 1 date (pit removed)
- 1 teaspoon agave
- 1 dash cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in your blender.
- Blend for 1 minute until all ingredients are incorporated and ice is broken down (I like to use the smoothie setting on my Vitamix).
- Pour into a glass and sip away!
