Dates are considered a decadent superfood. Another form of mother nature's gift of pure sweetness, this fruit is packed with nutrients and are found in sweet and savory dishes. They grow in the warm summer sun, which is perfect timing for making things with dates! My mom grew up with date milkshakes from the famous Shields in Indio, California and I love blue cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped dates, whether homemade or dining out! But let's get back to basics, experiment with dates in their rawest form and make date paste.
Why? Well puréeing dates into a smooth paste makes it easier to use in some of your favorite recipes as a sweetener! In breads, cakes, pies or in your morning oatmeal or just spread on a piece of toasted bread! Use it instead of honey or even as an added bonus in your after workout protein shake!
Recipe
10 dates, soaked
1 Vanilla bean, optional
1 tsp Orange zest, optional
First soak your dates in filtered water for at least 8 hours or overnight. This is to soften the dates, since they can be sticky and chewy. When they are ready take the dates out of the water, reserving the liquid and place in a bowl or deep container. Using an emersion blender pulse until the dates start to become smooth, adding a teaspoon of the reserved soaking liquid if the mixture is too thick! Add a teaspoon at a time until you find the consistency you like. Then, feel free to add fresh vanilla beans from the pod or orange zest, as it will just enhance the dates rich complex flavor. Refrigerate or freeze for a later use!
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