Each year, my now friend Sasha Swerdloff of Tending the Table genius organizes a trip for women in the food world (bloggers, cookbook authors, chefs, nutritionists, photographers etc.) to get together, hang out, share delicious food, and get to know each other beyond a screen (…see? Genius!) This year I actually got to attend – ok truth: I shamelessly invited myself because I wanted to meet this talented troupe of ladies IRL. The group decided to gather in Palm Springs, much to my delight as I needed to escape two kinds of hell: overdue home renovations and Ontario in February.
The days were magically sunny, delicious, and life-affirming. We cooked a lot, then let our food get cold taking too many photos of it. We swam, we hiked, we yoga-ed, we laughed, and conspired together. Besides all of the heart-warming togetherness, one of the highlights for me, was visiting a date farm just outside the city limits, to understand where our favourite whole food sweetener comes from (and to gorge ourselves, naturally). I had never seen dates on a tree before, and was moved to learn from the passionate farmer himself just how these sweet miracles grow.
Dates grow on palm trees, and they fastidiously follow the calendar – you can practically set your watch to a date palm’s seasonal cycle. The first day of spring the tree is in full bloom and the hard work begins, as the farmer pollinates each one by hand. The ratio of male to female trees is about 1 to 30, since the male trees are only necessary to produce the pollen, and the female trees are the ones that produce the fruit. Between the first day of spring and the first day of summer, the tree sets up its entire crop for the year. All the work (trimming, feeding, etc.) must take place during this season, since it’s during this period is when the fruit ripens, turning from green, to yellow, to brown. The dates are ready to eat from the first day of autumn, and then the harvest begins. During this season, the fruit is either left on the tree and protected with cloth bags to prevent rain, birds and insects from spoiling the fruit, or picked when ripe. The farmer told us that the best place for the dates is to remain on the tree for freshness, but if the load is too heavy, it will not bloom as well the following year, thus effecting the trees’ output.
After decades of date farming, he was as wide-eyed and passionate about his fruit as an eager young man, which really made us all swoon. It is truly one of my favourite things in this world, to see how and where food is grown, and to meet and connect with the people who lovingly produce it. We all left with full bellies and hearts, and of course, our bags bulging with dates.
Along the dusty, desert road home we saw so many signs for date shakes, since this is the land where this indulgent treat was invented back in the 1930s. None of us caved and bought one, but my mouth was definitely watering, and I was excited to get back and make one for myself. The original recipe is simple, and calls for dates, vanilla ice cream, milk, and sometimes a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. I knew this was the perfect makeover opportunity, and high-vibed my date shake with coconut milk instead of dairy, hemp seeds, and adaptogens.
So why the adaptogens? Well, I felt like the already-pretty-healthy date shake could use a boost, and what better way to make something more supportive than with a dose of stress-reducing, adrenal-loving, hormone-balancing, potions to get you back into balance? Yahs! I had these four choices on hand, but there are a lot of options once you start to dig around the health food store a little. Here is a little about each one and why I chose them.
Ashwaganda: helps the body adapt to stress and bring us back into balance. It encourages deeper sleep, supports the immune system, and energy levels.
He Shou Wu: builds the blood, harmonizes adrenal gland function, nourishes hair, skin and nervous system, increases antioxidant activity.
Maca: increases stamina, elevates mood, helps to balance hormones in both men and women, supports fertility and healthy libido.
Licorice: balances hormones, helps the body adapt to stress, supports the immune response, and aids learning and memory.
*Some adaptogens during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and while on medication are not recommended, so check with your natural health care provider before trying any of them.
The farm we visited grew seven types of dates, and we loved trying them all. The unanimous favourite was the grower’s very own variety that he created himself, called Black Gold. He also mentioned that this was the best type of date for a date shake, but considering the fact that you maaaaay not get a chance to visit Palm Springs anytime soon, I’ll go ahead and recommend using Medjool dates for the shakes, since they are widely available, and their thin skin blends very easily into a smooth consistency. If you cannot find Medjool, try Deglet Noor instead, or soak your dates in warm water for half an hour before blending.
Dates are a great source of energy, and provide a generous amount of filling dietary fibre with very little fat. Dates are mineral rich, delivering potassium, manganese, magnesium and copper, as well as an assortment of B-vitamins. Seek out dates that are plump and juicy-looking (if you’re buying from a market, ask to try them first), that their skin is intact, and that they are neither glossy or dusty. I store my dates in an airtight glass jar in the fridge to extend their shelf life, and protect their flavour and nutrients. Kept this way, dates will last up to six months. Outside of the fridge at room temperature, dates will last about a month and a half, or you can freeze them for up to a year.
The banana in this blend up is totally optional, and I actually really liked the version without, even though it was less thick and “milkshakey”. If you want to add more dates for sweetness and flavour, live it up. I found that this amount, about 3 Medjool dates, was just perfect for me, even without the banana. The spices are also optional but add complexity and pizazz!
And while we’re talking about optional, next time you go to blend something up whether its this shake or something else, may I suggest adding something to support collagen production? It’s all the buzz lately, let’s get into it!
Collagen is a structural protein that our bodies make naturally, in fact, nearly ⅓ of the protein found within our bodies comes from collagen! Pretty neat, eh?
We need this protein to support hundreds of functions within our body, like supporting our skin’s barrier, stimulating nail / hair growth, bolstering bones, protecting internal organs, assisting with normal blood clotting, and strengthening our joints. It makes up muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, connective tissue, the list goes on!
It’s important to note that collagen in any form is always broken down into its respective amino acids during digestion and from there, provides the BUILDING BLOCKS for the body to produce collagen – this is the same regardless of if you’re getting your building blocks from plant-based or animal sources -depending on your lifestyle and preference, you can set yourself up for success! During this break down and build up process, our bodies rely heavily on other nutrients like vitamin C, copper (thanks dates!), and zinc to help boost its own production of collagen!
As we age, collagen becomes harder to produce and unfortunately, this can start early! We’re talking in our 20’s (believe me, I was devastated to learn this). That fact alone makes it SO important we get enough nutrients to support our body’s own production of collagen! One of the many reasons I am uber-stoked to share Copina Co.’s vegan collagen blends is because their products are packed with these EXACT nutrients and from plant-based sources!
For example:
Gotu Kola: Excellent source of vitamin C
Amla: Packed with vitamin C, fiber, and rich in copper
Matcha: High in vitamin C, zinc, copper, and plenty of fiber for digestion
Tremella Mushroom: Stellar digestive support as it modulates inflammation by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and boosts beneficial microorganisms in our gut.
Bamboo Leaf: Great source of copper and fiber, promoting regularity and protection against digestive conditions. It also acts as a prebiotic which provides fuel for the good-loving bacteria in your gut.
The other important consideration with collagen is digestibility. With anything, if your body can’t assimilate the foods you put into it, there is little point in consuming that very thing. Copina Co. took that into consideration with their vegan collagen by infusing their blends with digestive – supporting herbs, backed by professional herbalists! How cool is that!?
Lastly, the ingredients in Copina Co.’s vegan collagen are ones that we can all trust – free of additives, no unnecessary sugars, and non-GMO. And arguably my favorite part? They’re 3rd party lab tested, meaning they source outside of their own company to ensure their products can be trusted by everyone.
These reliable, plant-based products can be loved, and enjoyed thoroughly by everyone! One last thing, may I recommend the Cacao Calm Plant-Based Collagen Boost…. oh my my, you won’t regret it.
All in all, this date shake, with whatever optional ingredients you add, don’t add, enjoy, don’t enjoy, etc. is a delicious and filling way to start your morning, or the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. It’s creamy, smooth, sweet and totally balanced. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Adaptogenic Date Shake
Serves 1 (makes 2 ½ cups / ml)
Ingredients:
¼ cup / 50g pitted Medjool or Deglet Noor Dates
½ – 1 frozen banana (optional)
1 cup / 250ml full-fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp. hulled hemp seeds
½ Tbsp. licorice root
½ tsp. ashwaganda
½ tsp. maca
¼ tsp. ho shu wu
serving of vegan collagen-enhancing boost, optional
pinch vanilla powder (or ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract)
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
3-4 ice cubes
Directions:
1. Brew the licorice tea by combining 1 cup / 250ml boiling water with ½ tablespoon of chopped licorice root. Let steep covered for 15-30 minutes.
2. Place all ingredients in the blender. Measure out ½ cup / 125ml of licorice tea, add it to the blender, and blend on high until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness and spice to your liking. Enjoy immediately.
I just want to give a huge shout out to Sasha and all the women who attended the retreat – it was truly a beautiful experience. And if anyone out there is looking for some inspiration and general awesomeness, follow these wonderful people, below:
Sasha Swerdloff – Tending the Table
Renne Byrd – Will Frolic for Food
Lily Diamond – Kale and Caramel
Kimberly Hasselbrink – Kimberly Hasselbrink
Shelley Westerhausen – Vegetarian Ventures
Lindsay Kluge – Ginger Botanicals
Trisha Hughes – Go Eat Your Beets
Carly Diaz – Carly Diaz
Eva Kosmes Flores – Adventures in Cooking
Sophie MacKenzie – Wholehearted Eats
Hope you’re all enjoying the first breaths of Springtime. Sending love, gratitude, and sunshine,
Sarah B.
Show me your shakes on Instagram: #mnrdateshake
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Hey ya’ll! One more thing before I go: new Wild Heart High Spirit retreats are being planned! I’ll share more news about the retreats soon, but if you want to be the first to know when tickets are available, go to www.goldencircleretreats.