Coconut and Berries

Healthy, Vegan Recipes by Emma Potts

Raw Caramel Apple Swirl Smoothie

Raw Caramel Apple Swirl Smoothie

My birthday fell during a particularly busy week for me this year- last week, when I was getting myself organized to go off to Geneva for a month-long internship (That’s where I am now!). I was actually away the previous week too so I was rather frantically trying to get caught up on work and life as well as get prepared for the next trip.

I don’t usually do a lot for my birthday anyway but this year I didn’t even have the time to make a cake! Instead, I celebrated by drinking this rather delicious (and slightly extravagant) smoothie for breakfast.

Raw Caramel Apple Swirl Smoothie

In my last post I told you about my very happy recent discovery of Windy City Organics products and used their Rawmio Chocolate Hazelnut Spread in my raw cookie recipe. Today’s recipe features one of their Dastony nut butters. Just like the Rawmio spreads these are divine! What really makes them stand out is how amazingly smooth they are, far more so than any other nut butter I’ve had.

Raw Caramel Apple Swirl Smoothie

I knew my birthday smoothie had to be a little over-the-top and, after I’d ruled out chocolate, (as I’d just finished my Raw Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints), I hit on caramel as a delicious and  still decadent alternative. 

This caramel is ridiculously good folks! It makes more than you “need” for the smoothie* but a good portion of it somehow disappeared when making it….

I opted to use naturally caramel-ly dates and the beautiful Dastony almond butter to make it lusciously rich and sweet, enhanced with just a few other simple ingredients.

I drizzled it all over my smoothie glass and then over the top of the frosty drink to get a little in every sip and give it its name- “Raw Caramel Apple Swirl Smoothie”.

*If you do have extra caramel it’s fantastic as a dip for fruit, drizzled on pancakes or ice cream, or you could try my Raw Chocolate-Hazelnut Strawberry Jam Thumbprints substituting this caramel for the raw strawberry jam. 

Raw Caramel Apple Swirl Smoothie

Raw Caramel Apple Swirl Smoothie
Serves 1
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Raw Caramel
  1. 5 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  2. 1 Tbsp Coconut nectar
  3. 2 Tbsp Raw almond butter
  4. 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  5. 1/8 tsp Salt
  6. 1/3 C- 1/2 C Almond milk
Smoothie
  1. 1 Large/ 2 Medium apple (s), cored, chopped and frozen
  2. 3/4 C- 1 C Almond milk
  3. 1 Tbsp Raw almond butter
  4. 2 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  5. 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  6. 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  7. 1 Tbsp Lucuma
Instructions
  1. For the caramel, blend all the ingredients in a high-powered blender, scraping the sides down until completely smooth. Soak your dates in water in advance to soften them if necessary (I used my Tribest personal blender and didn't need to.
  2. Set aside.
For the smoothie
  1. Blend together all the ingredients in a blender.
To serve
  1. Generously drizzle some of the caramel all around the inside of one or two glasses (I used a squeeze bottle). Pour in the smoothie and drizzle with extra caramel.
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Comments

    • Thanks Vicky. Going well so far. Hope to have the chance to see a bit more of the city and surroundings this weekend.

    • Me too! I eat an apple a day 😉
      And I’m switten with the Dastony products, just like the Rawmio ones.

  3. I’ve never put apples in a smoothie before because for some reason they don’t seem like they would blend well, but this looks amazing! And the caramel looks divine. I’m inspired. Happy belated birthday!

    • I think this was one of the first times I’d used apples in a smoothie too but I loved them and it makes a nice change to the usual banana-based smoothies and frozen they still add that thickness and creaminess that bananas do.
      Thanks for the birthday wishes :)

  5. Happy birthday Emma! It sounds like a busy birthday week, but I hope your internship is exciting while you are away.

    I have been meaning to make raw caramel ever since seeing Gabby’s post on it on The Veggie Nook. Your caramel smoothie sounds fantastic! Definitely birthday appropriate :)

    • Thanks Kari. It’s going fairly well so far.
      Gabby’s caramel bars looked amazing. I first made raw caramel when I made my Raw Banoffee Pie but this one was even better 😀

  6. Happy birthday Emma!
    This smoothie looks decadent! My younger daughter loves smoothies and I think we will have to try this one next.

  7. Happy Birthday Emma!!

    You have to know I went shopping today & deliberated on two items-dates & almond butter-& in the end I didn’t get them. Believe me it was a hard choice, but now that I see this beautiful recipe, I’m regretting my choice! Seriously such a wonderfully tasty combo (I always love your recipes-they are totally do-able yet something to get really excited about.)

    Hope you enjoy your travels, dear!

    P.S. I have a weird question for you, my English friend. So I’m kinda obsessed with a few British shows (just got into Luther…really dark, but I excellent acting & of course love Sherlock) & there’s one on Hulu-The Only Way is Essex-& I cannot for the life of me understand hardly anything they’re saying! Do most Brits sound this way? And by the way, it’s not a show I’d recommend (really shallow & silly), but I had to watch a bit, especially since I found their accents so fascinating.

    • hahaha! I’m chuckling to myself imagining you thinking that’s how Brits sound! People from Essex have a very particular accent- I think it’s been voted the ugliest accent in the UK- I can barely understand them either! There’s sort of a friendly joke in England about Essex people (and probably some judgment in there too) and about the “type” of person who lives in Essex.

      Thanks for your sweet comments about my recipes. Dates and almond butter, especially together, are heaven to me :)

    • Thank you Suzanne. It was still a nice day even if it wasn’t particularly different to any other day :)

  9. Happy Birthday Emma! Can you please tell me what Lucuma is? I love your classic pairing of apples and peanut butter in this smoothie … I have to try that.

    • Thanks Julie :) Lucuma is a Peruvian fruit which you usually find in its powdered form (as I used it). It’s considered a superfood as it contains a bunch of antioxidants, vits and minerals. It has a naturallysweet and caramel-like flavour which is great in desserts/smoothies. It’s not essential here though and you could just add an extra date in its place.

  10. Happy (belated) Birthdaaayyyy!!!!! I love the sound of this. . . and I also love it when people introduce me to new products! I also hope you enjoy your internship you lucky thing you!

  14. what a fabulous birthday smoothie! it’s quite extravagant in a healthy kind of way, which is my favorite way to be extravagant. so exciting to be in geneva for in internship!

    • I agree! I like to keep my decadence healthy 😀 I guess we’re both interning right now! Hope it’s going well for you.

    • Thanks Lauren. I had a good day, even if it wasn’t particularly birthday-like 😀

  17. happy birthday - I personally would never go past chocolate but next in line must be caramel - sorry you didn’t get a cake this year - if only I could make you one and send it in good shape :-) but caramel in a smoothie sounds excellent

    • A Johanna cake would have been amazing! I thought about celebrating with cake when I’m home but that would be over a month after my actual birthday…I think I’m just looking for an excuse to make a cake!

  18. Hi there! This is my first visit to your blog. I am a green smoothie addict but like to mix it up every now and then and this sounds perfect! I’ve totally bookmarked this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

    • Thanks for coming over here Lindsey:) Let me know how you like the smoothie if you do get to try it.

  20. Happy birthday! I’m not usually into smoothies (I’m a boring fud who only seems to drink water) but I do love the sound of that caramel sauce! I’ve been searching for a healthier caramel alternative for a while - it seems a rarer flavour amongst healthy deserts, perhaps due to being hard to achieve? I’m going to have to try it out at some point, although coconut nectar looks like it might be an expensive buy so it might have to wait. Glad I’ve come across your blog, your recipe ideas look wonderful:)

    • I’m pretty obsessed with this caramel and it really is fairly virtuous! You’re right that coconut nectar is quite pricey but you can use any other liquid sweetener (agave, maple, etc.) in its place, if you have those to hand. Thanks for checking out the blog :) Hope to see you back here again!

  21. Just had this for breakfast and it was very yummy! Felt very indulgent but of the healthy kind, of course! I absolutely love that caramel as well and could easily have just eaten the lot! Hope you are enjoying Geneva :)

    • Happy to hear it! The caramel is divine isn’t it?! Food of the Gods (and goddesses 😉 )

  22. Happy Belated Birthday, Emma, sorry for the delay…I hope you’re having a lovely time in Geneva now or already and did you have enough vegan desserts on your birthday?Wish I can make something for you if you’re living close! ;( How was the internship so far, I’m excited to read about your 1-month stay in Geneva if you have the chance to share it! Raw caramel and apple smoothie sounds and looks so tasty! I love all sorts of caramel especially salted ones!

  24. your smoothies are always so pretty! I love that caramel recipe! I’m usually pretty lazy and just mix dates and water, but i think it’s time to upgrade my caramel. It’s the best on vegan pancakes :) I don’t usually go for apple in smoothies, but i love the combo here with caramel - thanks!

    • Dates and water does make a pretty decent caramel but the few extra ingredients really do take it up a notch.
      You know, I don’t think I’ve ever had it on pancakes! Changing that asap!

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