Chocolate Tahini Date Smoothie with Wild Blueberries {no banana}

I love tahini, I love dates, I love chocolate and blueberries - so why not combine them all together and make an incredibly filling and flavor packed smoothie! This Chocolate Tahini Date Smoothie with Wild Blueberries will be your go-to when you need a pick me up!!!

I know that you all have bananas sitting on your counter ready for smoothies, but honestly I don't LOVE bananas in my smoothies all the time. So I wanted to create one that packed all the same yumminess without a banana. Trust me, save your bananas for this one of a kind Tahini Banana Bread - you won't be disappointed!

Tahini has become a super trendy ingredient over the years. Long ago when I was growing up in my Lebanese household, tahini was simply used to make hummus, taratore or namoura. Today it's all over the internet and everyone is OBSESSED with it. I bet you those kids in elementary school that made fun of my delicious food are tahini lovers themselves now!!! Am I right?

So let's embrace tahini and go outside the hummus box - shall we?

Ingredients

Most of these ingredients are easily found in most home kitchens, or you have them because you have my essential Middle Eastern Pantry Staple Guide!!! Simple, wholesome foods all blended up to keep you full and happy. I love this one for kids - especially those with a sweet tooth. It will keep them satisfied with simple, natural sugars.

• Medjool Dates - Medjool dates are the top of the date chain, they are plump, meaty and sweet. I like to soak them in some boiling/hot water for 5-7 minutes to make sure they are nice and plump. This will be the main sweetener to our smoothie.
• Milk - Milk choice is really up to you! My kids simply use cow milk, but almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk will work great too.
• Yogurt - A little tanginess is what I always crave in a smoothie, plus a nice dose of probiotics. Plain or plain greek yogurt is ideal - you can also choose a plain dairy free option.
• Tahini - Tahini gives the smoothies a bit of thickness and a nuttiness without using nuts at all, be sure to give your tahini a mix before adding. These are my favorite brands: Mid East and Ziyad. Both can be found in most middle eastern grocery stores or online.
• Cocoa Powder - To give our smoothie a subtle chocolate flavor.
• Frozen Cauliflower - Adding frozen cauliflower is a new thing, most stores sell frozen riced cauliflower in the freezer section these days. Adding bit to your smoothie packs a little nutrient boost without any flavor. Give it a try!
• Frozen Blueberries - I didn't initially add blueberries but I had them sitting in the freezer and thought, what the heck! Results were YUMMY! So definitely a great addition. I picked up those cute little wild blueberries from Trader Joe's but really any frozen blueberry will work great!
• Cinnamon or Cardamom - You choose what you like, cinnamon is classic but cardamom has a very exotic taste and flavor that takes this smoothie to the edge.
• Vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• Ice Cubes

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

This recipe can't be any simpler - gather and blend!

Equipment

Here are some blender options that range in pricing.

Ninja Personal Blender - If you're looking for a small compact blender, mostly for smoothies or small portions this one is fantastic. It sits on our counter since it's not obtrusive and the kids us it all throughout the week to make smoothies. Very simple, powerful and sleek. This is what I made this smoothie with!

Ninja Professional Blender - This is the Ninja blender I had before my Wolf blender. It's fantastic! Powerful and a great all around blender. Price point is nice too - sometimes Costco will have them too.

Wolf Blender - This beast is my main go-to blender, it's expensive but a POWERHOUSE. On par with a Vitamix. I love it and it's what I use to make my famous hummus with, it makes it ULTRA smooth!

Vitamix- A very expensive option, again I've seen Costco carry some styles as well. There are MANY different versions of the Vitamix. You can even get refurbished ones for a better price. Something to consider if you're looking at investing in one.