Why do you avoid dates? Maybe the question should be, have you ever had a date you didn’t love? It’s the small, sweet, raisin-like dates I’m asking about.
I’ve recently become very aware of the snacks we reach for at home. Sugar is my weakness, and though dates are sugar-dense, they offer minerals and fiber when other processed snack foods do not.
Raisins are one of my least favorite foods, so it took until just a few years ago to try a date. Oh, the honey sweet bites I’ve been missing! I’ve become very fond of peanut butter-stuffed dates that go otherwise unnoticed on the holiday dessert buffet.
I was inspired by and adapted a recipe from the late Linnea Jepsen. Linnea, a local cookbook author and whole food counselor, would stuff dates with almonds and dip them in Chinese 5 Spice. My 5 Spice Stuffed Dates are stuffed with spiced nut butter and dressed up with shredded coconut. Two stuffed dates make a perfect mid-day, sweet tooth snack.
Speaking of dates, a friend shared a recipe for a spiced date smoothie that I can’t get enough of. She blends 1 cup almond milk, 2 pitted dates, 1 tablespoon almond butter, ice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ground cardamom, and a pinch of nutmeg. Sometimes she’ll add yogurt, but I use vanilla hemp powder for extra protein. It’s so creamy and delicious!
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5 Spice Stuffed Dates
Recipe from Phoebe Canakis
Makes 24 pieces
Ingredients
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- 12 dates
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- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond butter
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- 2 Tbsp peanut butter
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- 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice
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- 6 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
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- Cut the dates in half lengthwise and remove the pit.
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- In a small bowl, mix the almond and peanut butter with the spice.
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- Fill each date halve with spiced nut butter and dip in shredded coconut.
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- Store in tightly sealing container.
