How Can I Eat Dates?
You probably know dates best as a tasty snack, packed full of nutrients and with a naturally sweet flavor. What you may not know is that dates are an extremely versatile food and can be used as an ingredient in a vast array of healthy and delicious dishes.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at what to cook with dates, as well as how they make one of the most convenient, nutritious snacks you can reach for every day!
Dates: The Ultimate Snack
Let’s start with some ways to enjoy dates as a snack.
Sometimes the simplest snacks are the best! Keep a packet of dried Medjool dates — the big, juicy variety — within easy reach for a tasty snack. The natural sugars in Medjool dates are absorbed quickly by the body and combined with their carbs. You’ll get a powerful energy boost for every date consumed.
What’s also great about dates is that they store well without any need for refrigeration, so you can keep them handy in your desk drawer at work or in the kitchen cupboard.
Another quick way to enjoy dates is to use them in a healthy smoothie. This recipe uses soy milk, dates, banana and a pinch of cinnamon for a flavor-filled hit.
Add Natural Sweetness To Your Baking
Ditch sugar in your baking and replace it with dates for natural sweetness with fewer calories. Their sweet taste and chewy texture make them the ideal addition to brownies or cookies. Or try this recipe for fig and date bread, which can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a healthier alternative to regular cake.
Classic Medjool dates dessert recipes include sticky date pudding and rice pudding with dates, or you could even serve dates stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese and walnut with coffee for an unexpected after-dinner twist!
Once you start using dates in your baking, you will not only benefit from their natural sweetness but also from the vitamins, minerals and fiber they offer. Instead of consuming all those empty calories provided by sugar, switch to dates and notice the difference!
Explore Some Exciting Savory Dishes
It may surprise you to know that dates are just as fantastic in savory recipes! They work well with a variety of meat- and plant-based dishes, making it easy to find Medjool dates recipes to suit everyone’s taste.
Start with a chicken salad with dates and bacon for an exciting combination of tastes. For a vegan recipe, try kale-wrapped dates with almonds. — a tempting appetizer offering both a sweet and savory hit.
For a tasty main dish, try this recipe that stuffs chicken with dates and apricot seasoned with cayenne pepper. Serve it at your next dinner party and impress your guests with its presentation and flavor!
This sweet potato and date casserole will appeal to anyone following a plant-based diet and is filled with taste and texture. Or try squash stuffed with dates and onion for a warming, seasonal dish, perfect for fall.
Expand Your Cuisine With Healthy, Tasty Dates!
Our cooking with dates recipes showcase just how versatile this delicious fruit can be.
Perfect any time of day, Medjool dates can be eaten with yogurt for a quick, healthy breakfast, provide a tasty fuel-filled snack or form the basis of an exciting recipe for lunch or dinner.
Packed with taste and nutrients too, make dates the go-to ingredient in your kitchen cupboard. Easy to store and endlessly adaptable, dates will add an exciting element to your cooking, so enjoy experimenting with this delicious, nutritious ingredient!
