Fig & Banana Smoothie

This vegan fig banana smoothie is one of my favorite smoothies. It blends up in just a few seconds, but tastes rich and ever so exotic.

Figs are high in fiber, calcium, and potassium and they are easily obtained in dried form (my favorite dried fig is the Calmyra variety). When they are in season, though, I really love them fresh.

I keep very ripe, peeled bananas in bags in the freezer at all times because they lend an unparalleled creaminess to smoothies… I suggest you do the same.

I chose coconut milk here and loved it, but you can substitute yogurt, kefir, or raw or organic milk, if you wish. You could also just use water or a non-dairy nut milk…your choice.

Remember that organic whole coconut milk (not “lite” coconut milk) is a healthy source of essential fats.

I was inspired to embellish this smoothie with a bit of rosewater and just a pinch of cardamom at the last minute. These additions are totally optional, but highly recommended.

If you want the smoothie to contain more protein, you could add 1-2 raw egg yolks (make sure you use only very fresh, local, free-range eggs if you are going to eat them raw as this cuts the risk of salmonella). Soaked nuts/seeds could also be added.

Ingredients:

*3 fresh figs (or 3 dried figs, soaked overnight in water to rehydrate)

*1 banana, previously peeled and frozen

*1/2 cup organic coconut milk

*1 cup water

*1 teaspoon rose water (optional)

*dash of ground cardamom (optional)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients well, adding ice or additional water to produce desired consistency. Serves 1.