I adore nuts of every kind, but it’s probably only since going vegan that I’ve actually really started eating them regularly, and certainly that I’ve discovered their versatility. In the past, my encounters with nuts were probably mainly limited to chocolate coated peanuts, salted + roasted peanuts, peanut butter (the kind with sugar and preservatives…), and that’s about it.
Wow was I missing out.
They’re well and truly a staple in my kitchen now: A handful of nuts is a great snack- cashews, almonds and walnuts are my favourites; nut cheeses (see my courgette galette with cashew chèvre); an ingredient in salads and stir-fries; a key component of raw desserts; a lovely addition to baked goods, and of course nut creams and milks, among many other uses.
I’ve been buying almond milk for a long time, but only very recently started making my own at home. If you haven’t tried it yet you really must. It’s far creamier and tastes so much more like the actual nut than any stuff you’ll find pre-packaged. It’s hardly any effort either.
I’m not usually a big smoothie drinker but the warm weather has made me fancy a lighter start to the day. This cool, creamy smoothie is ideal for breakfast ( I enjoyed it alongside a little homemade chamomile muffin I found lurking in the freezer), or makes a perfect afternoon pick-me-up, or would even be a delicious dessert.
I’ve just got back from a week in Spain and enjoyed tonnes of gorgeous stone fruit- peaches, nectarines and apricots galore. What we get over here is mainly imported and of course nowhere near as good as the fresh stuff. I found a bag of the soft dried type, and although very different they worked really well in this smoothie, their concentrated sweetness making it feel rather decadent.
Dried Apricots come in two varieties: sulphured, and un-sulphured. Sulphur dioxide is often unnecessarily added to dried fruits as a preservative and is what retains the bright orange colour of the apricots. I prefer to use organic dried apricots with no added preservatives or other added ingredients. This means that they are not bright orange, but are naturally dark instead. In my opinion these are far more delicious and fruity-tasting than the artificially-preserved variety.
- 3/4 C Almond milk (preferably homemade)
- 1/2 Frozen banana ( I freeze peeled, halved bananas when they’re turning brown)
- 4 Soft dried apricots (organic, unsulphured)
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp Almond extract
- 1/8 tsp Ground cardamom (optional)
- Blend all ingredients together until thick and smooth. Serve immediately.
Do you make your own nut milk? What’s your favourite kind of nut?
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I do make my own almond milk and love it! I’d have to say that almonds are my favorite nut to munch on, but cashews are my favorite for making raw cheeses, desserts, dressings, sauces, etc. I love the sound of this smoothie. I’ve just recently started putting two dates in my smoothies I’m using a new raw protein powder that’s lacking in the flavor department. I’m going to try dried apricots next!
Cashews really are a magical nut! It’s pretty fun to see people’s amazement when I announce that a creamy sauce or dessert is made from nuts and no dairy whatsoever
I would defintely have to go with cashews, I loooove cashews, with macadamia’s and almonds on a shared second place. And during fall/winter I look more to pecans.
This smoothie looks really nice, never thought of using dried apricots.
Oooh pecans, they’re probably my top “treat” nut as they’re a little more pricey than most. Perfect in wintry salads.
I haven’t yet dabbled with making my own almond milk but I really need to try! That smoothing sounds so refreshing!!
You really must! I want to branch out to other nut and seed milks now and play around with a few different flavours.
I love nuts! I trown them into practically every dessert I make. Lately I have been making a lot of smoothies for me and my daughter. I am trying your recipe, I bet she will enjoy it.
I hope you and your daughter enjoy it! I bet smoothies are really great for getting some nutrition into little ones
Looks lovely. You may want to soak the apricots in warm water before blending them. It will make it much easier to have them be fully incorporated.
Love cardamom!
Thanks
My apricots were super soft and my blender’s pretty powerful so I didn’t need to soak them, but you’re right that doing so first can help get a really smooth smoothie!
Thanks for linking-up to 5-Ingredient Mondays. I haven’t had apricots for a while and I can’t think of a better way to enjoy them than in this smoothie. i’m featuring it this week- hope to see you back
This smoothie looks sooo good! Im thinking I could try it with fresh apricots whenever I can get my hands on them.
Fresh would be even more scrummy
This sounds so good
I’m just starting to use cardamom more often, so finding this recipe is perfect timing!
Great! I love cardamom in both sweet & savoury recipes. It goes so so well with chocolate too