I like treats just as much as the next guy (or gal).  However, the lack of nutrients, inclusion of artificial ingredients, and empty calories in many sweet treats leaves me feeling less than my best.  That’s why when I experiment with new recipes they have to meet two very important criteria: 1) they have to satisfy my sweet tooth (obviously!), and 2) they must provide my cells with the nutrients they need to thrive.  In other words, I try to attain a high ratio of nutrients per calorie consumed (if you’re interested to know more about this concept read my post called Health = Nutrients/Calories).  With that said, today I’m sharing my nutrient dense Caramel Latte Frappé recipe.  Side note: I HAD to sample this recipe MULTIPLE times over the past week for quality assurance purposes.  Some people say blogging is all fun and games, but I’m here to tell you it’s tough work! 🙂  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup coffee
• 3 dates, pitted
• 2 tablespoons caramel (melted)
• ice cubes

Instructions

1. Blend walnuts and almond milk until creamy.
2. Add coffee, dates, caramel, and ice cubes. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Options

• Drizzle extra caramel on top.
• For a sweeter drink add more dates.
• Increase the amount of coffee or even use espresso for a more robust flavor.
• For an adult friendly version add a splash of Kahlúa 🙂
• If you don’t like walnuts you can substitute for another nut such as cashews.

Notes

• The number of ice cubes you use determines the thickness of the frappé.  The more ice you add, the thicker your frappé will be.
• At our house we like our frappés thick (we use lots of ice) so this recipe makes 2 servings. If you enjoy a thinner frappé then this recipe might only be enough for 1 serving.
• For the picture in this post, I reserved the blended walnuts and almond milk and poured it on top of the frozen coffee.

Recipe inspired by The Almond Eater.