So I wrote this post yesterday but somehow lost it. It was funny, informative and the words flowed naturally from my brain to my fingertips. Today when I went to retrieve it, it was gone. #BloggerProblems. So, a rewrite. Enough about that though. Let’s talk about smoothies and shakes. While I love something tall and dreamy on a summer’s day, I’m not one to drink my meals. I’d rather eat them, but it seemed wrong to leave the American West without paying homage to California, the original smoothie king. And so I do with my Orange Date Smoothie.
Smoothies originated in California back in the 1930s,influenced by the fruity flavors of Mexico and South America containing tropical fruits and packed with vitamins and healthy fats.
However, not until the 1970s did they really take off in that decade’s health food craze as the new IT thing. Around that time, Smoothie King and California Smoothie really took off, and Orange Julius started popping up on street corners everywhere. As years passed, the smoothie has evolved away from the health food it originally intended to be, and they can often toe the line with milkshakes and dessert. Still, today, the smoothie seems to be as much a badge of honor for a healthy lifestyle as a carrying around a yoga mat.
One of the more well-known flavors for shakes in the Coachella Valley in California is the date shake. This regional specialty is blended with ice cream to make quite the sweet treat. I combined the idea of the date milkshake with that of the Orange Julius smoothie to create a different and pleasantly perfect afternoon snack.
Funny story: So, remember how I don’t have a blender? Well, I don’t have a blender. I have an immersion blender, which usually serves me well as a blender when combined with a large football stadium cup. My orange date smoothie needed more than my immersion blender, and chaos ensued as I transferred it from stadium cup to food processor back to stadium cup. Smoothie everywhere. However, if you have an actual, honest to goodness upright blender, you should be good.
Orange Date Smoothie
Easy Orange Date Smoothie is a nod to California, with sweet dates and fresh squeezed orange juice for a delicious treat.
Ingredients
- 12 dates, pitted and soaked in almond milk for about 15 minutes to soften
- 1 orange, peeled (I added the pulp and all)
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 6 ice cubes
Directions
- Step 1 Combine all ingredients, except ice cubes, in blender and process until smooth. Add the ice cubes, one at a time, and process until all blended, about 1-2 minutes.
