Smoothies are an almost daily thing for me, but I tend to get bored with the same things. Don’t get me wrong — bananas, berries, and spinach is perfectly acceptable, but sometimes it’s just not enough.
I try to add different ingredients and flavorings to keep it interesting, as well as ramp up the nutrients, since, well, isn’t that why most of us drink smoothies?
I’ve learned over the years that just because it’s not traditionally found in a smoothie, that doesn’t mean it can’t be good. Some unexpected foods are delicious when blended, while others (broccoli? no thanks!) are best eaten for dinner.
This smoothie has it all: sweet, salty, and spicy. The sweetness comes from sticky, chewy dates, while the spicy comes from the addition of chai spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and anise. Oh, and vanilla. I’m not sure if vanilla is traditional in chai, but it’s necessary for me.
This smoothie is sweet, which I’m not usually a fan of, but the sea salt balances it out nicely. I use Colima Sea Salt from Ava Jane’s Kitchen. It’s coarse, and crunchy, and perfect for something like this. Coconut cream dolloped on top helps too. You won’t use all of the coconut milk in the can, so save it for later.
If you’re not a fan of chai, you can just leave out the spices. Or leave out the ones you don’t like. Or add some. Whatever. It’s your smoothie, but I think this one is perfect.
Salted Caramel Chai Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 5 medjool dates pitted
- 2 frozen bananas
- 2 tablespoons natural almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground anise
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch nutmeg
- Colima Sea Salt
Garnishes
- Toasted coconut
- Cinnamon
- Colima Sea Salt
Instructions
- Without shaking the can, open the coconut milk. Scoop out the heavy cream at the top of the can into a small bowl.
- Put the rest of the ingredients into the bender with about 1/4 cup of the coconut milk. Blend, and add more coconut milk, or water to thicken the smoothie to your desired tastes.
- Pour the smoothie into glasses, and top with the coconut cream, toasted coconut, and anything else you desire.
