There is no dirt or grass in either of these recipes so don't be alarmed!
However there is everything delicious... chocolate, almonds, vanilla and dates in our "Dirt Brown"-ies and bananas, calcium-rich sesame and spinach in our "Greener than Grass" Smoothie!
This smoothie is one of my all-time favorites. I love enjoying it in the evening with the calcium-rich sesame seeds and dark greens and potassium-rich banana. Sesame seeds (what tahini is made from) meld wonderful with banana and a touch of vanilla and date. It has a wonderful "earthy" flavor so I've been saving it to post for Earth Day although I usually just call it Green Sesame Banana.
Feel free to substitute any dark green for the spinach. I'd recommend kale or any other local greens (make it truly eco-friendly)! Also for a grown-up version, add 1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground Green Matcha Tea powder available from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Almonds are a great food to mix with dessert ~ they have a neutralizing effect on blood sugar spikes. They also have a natural affinity for chocolate and dates!
For another fun trick, gather twigs or straws and stick the Earth truffles on one end, making Earth Pops!
"Dirt Brown"-ie Earth Truffles
1 cup almonds
10-12 Medjool dates
3 TB coconut oil
1/3 cup cocoa powder (or more for richer browner)
1/3 vanilla bean (these are still on sale on amazon)
Pinch of salt
1. Add dates and almonds to food processor. Process until coarsely chopped.
2. Add remaining ingredients and process until ball starts to form like dough.
3. Shape into round "Earth" shapes. Refrigerate.
"Greener than Grass" Smoothie
1 frozen banana
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice
2 Medjool dates
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Large Handful of Baby Spinach (or other green)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1/3 of a vanilla bean
1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
How are you celebrating Earth Day? And are there any gardening books you enjoy?
In the spirit of Earth Day, I've downloaded these two books to enjoy:
The Dirt-Cheap Green Thumb: 400 Thrifty Tips for Saving Money, Time, and Resources as You Garden
and
Don't Throw It, Grow It!: 68 windowsill plants from kitchen scraps
That smoothie tastes AMAZING. Thank you so much for putting it up. I went out and bought vanilla beans for the first time, and I don't know if those are what really made this smoothie taste so good or what but it literally tastes like vanilla ice cream. YUUUM.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you enjoyed it! It's amazing what a fresh vanilla bean can do - such vibrant taste! Thank you for the great review!
DeleteAlso now that you have vanilla beans, you might really enjoy this one! http://sweetroots.blogspot.com/2012/07/raw-living-omega-parfaits.html
DeleteLove the dirt balls and the smoothie!
ReplyDeleteMy kind of food ;)
Gorgeous photos too Miss! :)
xox