*Originally I had the recipe as 1 cup milk and no cider, but when testing it I ran out of milk and put apple cider in, and all taste testers in the house concurred that it tasted even better! So if you don't have cider, it will still taste great with all milk! If using all milk, you can add an extra date if more sweetness is desired, since the apple cider adds sweetness on its own.

**I've tried with unpeeled apples, and trust me, I don't like unnecessary steps but this does make a difference! With the peel it just has a bit of a strange texture and tastes a bit too fibery for my taste..

If you would like to turn this into a dessert shake-- omit the ice and chia (unless you want extra protein) and add a large scoop of vanilla ice cream!