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Sunday, July 24, 2011

Shake the Amazing Date! Strike That. Reverse it.

There is something so intriguing to me about these magical little sugar bullets we call dates.  Kind of like prunes or raisins...only not.  I mean, a prune was once a plum and raisin was once a grape.  But a date?  It was always a date.  I'm going to be honest here.  I didn't really know where dates "came from" before last week.  I mean, I knew they grew in temperate areas and that they came from a tree, but I had no clue that it was a palm tree.  I just never bothered to wonder before. Hmmm.  When I think of dates in the U.S., I think California.  Which should probably embarrass me even further since I was born in California and just realized that dates grew on palms.  But in all fairness, I don't remember anything about California except what I've seen in pictures or remember people telling me.  Back to my intrigue with these brown, sticky sources of natural sweetness.  I've always loved date bars and date balls and banana-date shakes, so when I ran across this super simple recipe for a date (only) shake, I knew I had to try it.  I think the key is adding enough ice to make it thick and cold.  Even with no added sugar, it is incredibly sweet.  I almost think you could start out with half the amount of the dates called for and adjust to your taste...although I went with the full twenty.  Jamie calls for throwing everything in a "liquidizer". Ummmm...which I figured was British-speak for blender, but my dates didn't actually "liquidize" in my blender...so I had small chunks.  And while many of those chunks sunk to the bottom, they were not unpleasant.  Apparently I need a stronger liquidizer.
The Amazing Date Shake
makes 2 shakes

20 dates, pitted
1 c. milk
handful ice cubes (or more)
pinch ground cinnamon

Put the dates and milk in a blender and blend until smooth-ish.  Add ice and cinnamon and blend again.  Serve immediately.

And I know, I know...palm trees don't take well to Indiana weather.  BUT, I'm pretty sure that was "said" way back when it wasn't as hot as (or hotter than) it is in palm-growing places.





It's Bevvies Week at IHCC!
LetsGetNaked







Would you like to comment?

  1. I'm not keen on milk but I fancy making this with thin yoghurt. I think it'd work well.

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  2. Date milkshake tastes gr8!! Even i make it at home...do visit my space to check out my version!!

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  3. Great one! Try soaking the dates and you will not have pieces.

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  4. @Archana- yes, that makes total sense now that you say it...I will soak the dates first next time...thank you! =)

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  5. I love dates too, especially when they are nice and fresh (which I can rarely find). This shake looks awesome!

    And you're right, as hot as it is you would think we could grow palms.

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  6. Dates are something I have never been that keen on, but I think I would probably like them this way.

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  7. I like dates so I'm sure I'd enjoy the shake! But boy are they sticky little things and the bits and pieces look so nice in the shake.

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  8. I would love to try this. I like dates, but I don't think I could eat a whole one by itself. Good idea to soak them before blending.

    I hear you all are sweating big time up there. We are having our normal summer weather high 80s low 90s, afternoon showers. :D BTW I have a date palm in my yard, but haven't harvested fruit from it yet! They are very poky!

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  9. Oh dates, my favorite. Hubby recently gifted me a new vita mix..(swoon)I'm going with the full twenty count, lol

    thanks for sharing, your always an inspiration

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  10. I don't think my liquidizer (hee hee) could handle dates either. Of course, the idea of liquidizing (I just like saying that) them never crossed my mind in the first place. Great pick for Bevvie week!

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  11. I've never had a date shake nor have I ever even thought about one. This sounds delicious! I love dates.

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  12. Hmm! I might have to try this some morning. If you get that date tree to grow in Indiana, let me know!

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  13. ha ha ha...okay, I'll post an update if I ever get a date tree growing ;) hmmmm...I wonder if I could start it with a pit....

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  14. Mmm dates are an odd ball, on ocassion I stuff em' with a toasted cashew and some goat cheese and wrapped in prosciutto, broil until crispy and then eat! Sorry didn't mean to steal your thunder, only had a date shake once before but I loved the chunky bits...
    Great job!

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  15. The only time I ever use a date - is in date-nut bread which does not exist in MN! This looks so refreshing and creamy - love the sweet milkiness of this. Let me know if you grow a "date tree"... maybe then I'll grow a fig tree.

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  16. The only time I ever ate dates was when my Nana made "crickets" for Thanksgiving finger food. She'd slice them open, put a peanut or cashew inside, then roll in sugar. She told me they were REAL crickets and the crunch was from their bones. Very silly, but it turned me off from dates for a good long while, haha.

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  17. Don't feel bad! I just learned that dates grew on palm trees last week, while at a party at my brother-in-law's house. I asked what kind of nuts were growing on the tree and everyone looked at me like I was well...nuts! LOL Never occurred to me that they grew on palm trees and I'm a California girl too. :P

    Can't wait to try this shake! My sister-in-law makes a date-pecan pie with a sweetened condensed milk filling every year for Christmas. :)

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  18. I actually ADORE dates and I know they would turn this into a super sweet treat!

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  19. This looks sweet and delicious. I have developed a fondness for dates since I have been using them more and more in raw desserts and things. They are sticky little buggers so the soaking first when using them in liquids really does help. ;-)

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  20. I have been seeing so many similar recipes using dates and everyone always says it is so refreshing! It does look awfully tasty! I love dates and we did eat them growing up but living in France with such a heavy North African influence, dates are everywhere and eaten all the time. I must try cooking with them.

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  21. Great use of dates - the shakes wound great!

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  22. LOVE dates. This must taste fantastic. If any of them could actually make in into my "liquidizer" instead of just popping into my mouth, I might could actually make one of these shakes.

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  23. I read somewhere that there are palm trees growing as weeds in Ireland. You'd think if they grow there, they'd grow in Indiana!
    Love the date, so versatile, and in a shake - inspiring!

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  24. healthy refreshing drink
    Heather this is perfect for anytime especially for the heat

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  25. That is such an easy, quick and healthy shake :)

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  26. COnfession time: not a huge fan of dates,but you are changing my thinking about them. And I might just try this good -looking shake,perfect Heather.

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  27. Could you substitute the dates for something else? Don't know if I like the idea of dates in a shake.

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  28. I love dates shake and last year I had it everyday before fasting for 30 days.. Didn't feel hungry or tired all day long.. That month I gained 3 kilos :(
    This is extremely delicious and addictive but only if you want to gain weight.. In my case, I already have much!

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  29. Of course you could...but then it wouldn't be a date shake...

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  30. I have a similar problem with my liquidiser - it all gets stuck under the blades and doesn't incorporate.  Despite that, I thought this was amazing - like drinking a sticky date pudding!

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