Friday, November 21, 2014

Sweet Sesame Stuffed Dates

Sweet Sesame Stuffed Dates





   
     Dates are one of my favorite foods of all times, which I lovingly refer to as Nature's Candy
There are many excellent varieties of dates, and if you're lucky enough to live somewhere that they grow nearby--as I am--chances are you may be able to find some of the rarer types. If you're not a few hours drive from the date farm, you should still be able to find three or four types of dates. Each has its own unique flavor and texture, so you'll want to try them all, and will likely find that different dates are preferable to you in certain applications. My favorite date is the Medjool, so luscious, creamy and caramel a flavor do they posses.
Dates are an especially good way to appease a raging sweet tooth with something healthy and delicious. Though you needn't do anything more than pit and eat them, and in the case of raw desserts they many times are processed or blended so that they recede into the background, they are also the star ingredient in countless recipes. One of my most favorite uses for dates is to pit and stuff them. There is so much flavor you can stuff a date with, and in this recipe that is exactly what I have chosen to do.
To begin, we'll make our filling and then with the help of a pastry bag or squeeze bottle, fill the inside of the dates.




Then for extra flair and flavor, they'll get rolled in chocolate and candied.
Though if you are really in a hurry, you can skip the final step and just stuff and eat. If you keep a some dates and bottle of your filling of choice ready in the refrigerator, having a quick and fulfilling healthy snack is only seconds away. Squeeze, eat, repeat!

Sweet Sesame Stuffed Dates

2 dozen large dates, pitted
1/2 cup raw tahini
1/3 cup agave nectar, date syrup, coconut nectar, etc
1 t vanilla
1 t sea salt
1/2 t cardamom

Mix everything but the dates in a mixing bowl, transfer to a squeeze bottle or piping bag and squeeze into dates.

Once your dates are filled, roll them in whatever your choice of sweetener, then you can dust them with chocolate, coconut, coconut sugar crystals (all of which I did here), seeds, carob or whatever you like.

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