As a home cook, dates are a staple in my kitchen. If you're looking to do some refined sugar free baking, these multi-purpose gems (that grow on trees) can EASILY be made into a sweet elixir for any recipe. Medjool dates are the best ones to use - they're large in size with a chewy texture. They're naturally sweet with a low glycemic index - meaning they won't mess with your blood sugar level (causing spikes) the same way say, honey, would. They also tend to be easily digestible. But they're not only good for baking & smoothies ~ below find a few simple ways to transform this versatile fruit for breakfast, lunch & dinner.
BREAKFAST: Overnight Oats
Blend pitted dates with raw cashews and water to make a creamy homemade cashew milk. Pour it over some oats and let them soak overnight. Find the full recipe HERE
LUNCH: Grilled Dates
Throw on a grill pan and cover to get them a little toasty (about 1-2 minutes per side). Then toss in a salad ~ maybe with some crumbled feta ~ and enjoy!
DINNER: Stuffed Chicken Thighs
Skin-on chicken thighs stuffed with pitted dates, rosemary twigs and goat cheese are a sure-fire way to get that perfect salty/sweet balance goin'.
OR if you just want to make a simple date paste for baking ~ soak 10 pitted dates in 2 cups of hot water for about 10 minutes. Then blend the dates along with 3/4 cups of the soaking water until a smooth texture forms.
Find a few more of my favorite sweet recipes featuring dates below!