Date & Fig Shake

Dates. I'm not talking about the activity you go on Saturday nights with your lover. I'm talking about the sweet, juicy, unctuous little fruits that are to die for. 

Let me keep it real, real quick. I used to not like dates. I thought they were weird and didn't taste so good. Until Ayurveda. I just realized I was eating the wrong kinds! Anyway, let's get back to the dates. 

Dates. They are revered in Ayurveda to be filled with ojas. Ojas? Well, ojas is the subtle essence of kapha. Ojas is what gives us our immunity, and keeps our bodies healthy and vibrant. It gives us suppleness, the ability to be tender and loving. It makes sure that all the moving parts in our body are a well-oiled machine.

It's important to nourish our ojas. There are different ways to do this. Food, being one of them. Dates are a great way to do this, because it has many of the same qualities as ojas--sweet, juicy, etc. Dates are also great for reducing vata and pitta. This shake is my go-to smoothie replacement. It's filling, nutritious, and I promise you a treat everyone will love. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole organic milk
• 6-7 dates (Pitted. I prefer medjool dates)
• 5 figs (I prefer Calimyrna figs)
• 10 almonds, (soaked overnight and the peels taken off)
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• Pinch of saffron
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• Pinch of cinnamon

Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend on medium speed, until all ingredients have been processed completely, and you are left with a smooth and creamy shake.

Alternatively, you can warm the milk, dates, and figs on the stove to soften them up a little for approximately 7 minutes. Then, combine all ingredients including the warm milk with dates in the blender, and blend until all the ingredients have been well incorporated. 

*Note: If possible, try to use organic, non-homogenized milk for the date shake. Also, you can switch out the dates for dried figs every now and then for some variety. Both are great ojas-promoters. You can also add in ½ -1 tbsp of Spirulina/Blue-Green Algae. The color will change to a pretty green, but you won’t be able to taste it at all.