Avocado Banana Date Smoothie with Cashews and Peanut Butter

I came back from my morning run, and I didn’t want a full meal straight away, so I made this smoothie from what I already had in the fridge and pantry (avocado, banana, a couple of dates, some cashews, oats, and the chocolate peanut butter I’ve been using). 

It took me only about five minutes.

This smoothie kept me full for a long while after the run without the heavy, uncomfortable feeling you sometimes get when you eat right after exercise. 

But the only mistake I made was adding too much sugar, because the dates and bananas were already sweet enough on their own. 

Ingredients

• 2 tsp avocado
• 3 to 4 slices of banana
• 2 dates
• 4 to 5 cashews
• 1.5 to 2 tsp oats
• 1 tsp chocolate high-protein peanut butter
• 1 glass of milk (around 250ml)
• 1 small tsp sugar (optional; read the sweetness section below before adding)

Blend the Dates Twice

Put all the ingredients into the blender with just a small amount of milk, enough to let the blades move, and blend everything together into a thick paste. 

At this first stage, the dates will probably not be fully broken down; you’ll see their pieces are still visible in the mixture. 

Blend it a second time, and they’ll break apart and mix in properly (You can also cut dates with a knife or by hand and add them to the grinder)

Dates are dense and fibrous, and one short blend usually isn’t enough to break them down evenly. 

And when they don’t break down, you get small rubbery bits in the final drink. 

The second blend at the paste stage (before you add the remaining milk) fixes this.

Once the paste is smooth and the dates are no longer visible as separate chunks (check with a spoon), add the rest of the milk and blend one final time until everything is smooth and pourable. 

At that point, it should come out of the blender cleanly with no pieces settling at the bottom of the glass.

Keep the Sweetness Right

I made one mistake and added a full teaspoon of sugar. I didn’t notice that dates contribute a deep sweetness of their own, plus I added banana, chocolate, and peanut butter; they were all sweet. 

So when I tasted it, it was sweeter than I wanted, and the extra sugar had pushed it past the point I was aiming for.

So leave the sugar out on your first try and taste the paste after the first blend. 

If the dates are soft and fresh (they usually are if you’ve stored them well), you probably won’t need any sugar at all. 

If you do add some because you want a quicker energy hit, use less than half a teaspoon. 

If you want the smoothie less sweet altogether, use one date instead of two, or skip the dates entirely and replace them with a slightly larger piece of banana; the Bananas on their own do less sweetening work.

Why the Cashews Are in This Smoothie 

Cashews are soft enough to blend down completely without leaving any texture behind (as long as you blend the paste stage properly), and they add a mild creaminess and fat. 

Plus, avocado also does similar work, but the cashews add a slightly different richness and a faint nutty quality that you’d notice if they weren’t there.

Just adding four to five cashews is the right amount for one glass. 

If you add more, the flavor will become too cashew-y, which can overpower the banana and the peanut butter. 

Why This Works Better After a Run Than Before

After running, our body needs carbs and protein to recover, and this smoothie has both spread across the different ingredients. 

The banana and dates have carbs, peanut butter and cashews have protein and fat, and oats slow everything down so the energy doesn’t hit and drop quickly.

What I noticed most was that I stayed full well into the late morning without the smoothie sitting heavily, because it felt lighter.

If you’re looking for something to drink after a workout before you have a proper meal later, you can make the mango avocado banana smoothie I made as a pre-run drink; that one is built for fuel, this one is built for recovery.

What I Had Alongside This

I also had two egg rolls that morning. I make egg rolls often for breakfast because they’re quick and they have good protein, and this smoothie paired well with them. 

Together they made a proper post-run breakfast without either being too much.

If you don’t have time for anything alongside, the smoothie holds up on its own as a post-run drink. 

For a slower morning, you can make the white lentil recipe or split pigeon pea and yellow mung lentils with rice.

But they’ll be heavy in the morning, so try during lunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use plain peanut butter instead of chocolate?

Yes, the chocolate peanut butter adds a slight dessert quality and makes the overall flavor feel richer and sweeter. 

Plain peanut butter keeps it more neutral and lets the banana and date flavor come through. 

Do I need to soak the dates before blending?

You don’t need to soak them if they’re soft and fresh; soft dates break down fully with two blends at the paste stage. 

If your dates are very dry and hard, you can soak them for ten minutes. Dry dates are even harder to break down, even with a second blend.

What if I don’t have avocado?

You can still make this smoothie, but it’ll be thinner and slightly less filling; avocado adds creaminess and fat that makes the drink feel more substantial. 

If you’re skipping it, add a few extra cashews to replace that richness. The texture won’t be exactly the same, but the drink will hold together.

Can I use a different nut instead of cashews?

Yes, you can use almonds or pistachios, or any other nut you want; just soak them first for at least 30 minutes, ideally a few hours. 

If you’re using dry almonds, they won’t fully break down in a blender and will leave small gritty pieces. 

Walnuts blend without soaking but add a bitter note that can compete with the dates.

How long does this keep in the fridge?

Drink it the same day; the banana will start to oxidize, and the color will darken after a few hours.

Plus, the oats will absorb liquid overnight and change the texture. 

If you want to get ahead of it, you can portion the dry ingredients onto a plate the night before and blend them in the morning. 

That takes almost no extra time, and your smoothie will taste the same as making it fresh.

Is one glass of milk enough or should I use more?

One glass (around 250ml) makes a full glass of smoothie with a thick, creamy consistency. 

If you prefer a thinner drink, add another 50ml to 100ml with the final blend. Adding too much milk early (before the paste stage) will make the blender struggle less but give you a thinner final result.

So it’s better to keep the first blend thick and adjust the consistency with the last pour of milk.