5 Healthy And Yummy Ways To Eat Dates

Dates. Golden brown in appearance, soft, syrupy and chewy in texture; Sweet and succulent in taste, nourishing and healthy for your body! Loaded with potassium, zinc, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorous and sodium, these delightful little fruits grow on palm trees, in very hot climates. They are also a great source of energy as they contain sugar and fibre, and vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, vitamin A and vitamin K. In the Middle East, North Africa and parts of South Asia, they are a very popular treat. In the West, however, they have attained very recent popularity, and the internet, recipe books and healthy food guides have become flooded with a variety of delicious ways to enjoy these sweet little fruits. Read on for 5 healthy & yummy ways to eat dates!

1) Soft Cheese & Walnuts Filled Dates

Grab your date sideways, partially cut in half and take out the stone. Scoop a decent quantity of Philadelphia cheese and fill in the date. Then, stick in a piece of walnut and you are ready to devour! It is quick and easy, and is one of the most healthy & yummy ways to eat dates!

2) Dates & Banana Almond Milkshake

This is a delicious, healthy milkshake that will be sure to please your taste buds as much as – if not more than – a regular milkshake! It is vegetarian and gluten-free, and requires minimal effort to make! All you’ll need is one banana, 3 dates and a cup of milk, all blended together until smooth and served chilled. Yum! This is one of the most refreshing healthy & yummy ways to eat dates, and so perfect for summer!

3) Chocolate & Sea Salt Covered Dates Stuffed with Peanut Butter

Mmmm, nothing like dark chocolate and sea salt – and add dates and peanut butter to the mix? Yes, please. These healthy & yummy treats are vegan and gluten-free, and they’re so easy to make! Get some soft, plump dates and remove their stones. Fill them in with some delicious peanut butter, then coat them in melted dark chocolate and pop them into the freezer. Sprinkle with some sea salt and bonne appétit! One of a few great, healthy & yummy ways to eat dates with peanut butter and chocolate!

4) Dates & Peanut Butter Energy Balls

These are perfect for that added protein fix during the day and will help fill you up and keep you energetic for quite some time! Just throw some oats and nuts into a food processor and whizz until they form a thick flour, then mix in pitted dates, coconut oil and peanut butter and blend until soft and sticky. Roll the mixture up into balls and pop them in the fridge – et voila! They’re quick, simple and one of the tastiest healthy & yummy ways to eat dates!

5) Spicy Date & Apple Chutney

Mmmm, this is perfect on cold lamb roasts and with blue cheese! Just peel, core and thinly slice some apples and then place them in a pan with some garlic and vinegar. They should be cooked gently until they break down into a thick puree before you stir in some sugar, the dates, sultanas, ginger, salt and spices. This is one of the most delicious savoury, healthy & yummy ways to eat dates!

What are your favorite ways to eat dates? Let us know in the comments below!

Featured image source: weheartit.com