dates

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Date Balls

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I love making treats that I can keep in the freezer and enjoy whenever I am craving something sweet, and these are no exception! You can feel free to make these your own by adding oats in place of or in combination with shredded coconut. You can use any nut butter you’d like in place of peanut butter. You can even sweeten this mixture with maple syrup or honey in place of dates! While most of us are not making regular trips to the grocery store at this time, with strict shelter-in-place regulations, we have to get creative in the kitchen and use the ingredients we have on hand!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup shredded coconut

  • ¾ cups of Medjool dates, pitted

  • ½ cup of creamy, all-natural peanut butter (unsalted)

  • 2 tbsp ground flax seeds

  • ¼ tsp salt

  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

  • 2 tsp coconut oil

Directions:

  • Place dates in a food processor and pulse until broken down

  • Add in peanut butter, shredded coconut, ground flax, and salt. Pulse until combined.

  • Scoop out the dough and roll into balls. Place in freezer for 15 minutes.

  • Melt chocolate with coconut oil either in the microwave or on the stove top. Once melted, dip each peanut butter ball in chocolate.

  • Freeze in an air tight container.

Optional: add the chocolate chips into the dough with a spatula (after all other ingredients are combined) if you’d rather have chocolate chips instead of dipped chocolate peanut butter balls. 

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Banana Date Breakfast Cookies

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I call these breakfast cookies because they are made with a few simple ingredients that you can feel good about having first thing in the morning. In reality, they are a little sweet (with both dates and bananas) so I typically enjoy one of these cookies when I need an energy boost in the afternoon! Dates are this week’s ingredient of the week and I love having them around! They  are deliciously sweet and are a great way to sweeten up a dish without using any refined and processed sugars. I sometimes throw one into a smoothie, add them so salads as a contrast to salty cheese or olives, and of course I enjoy baking with them!

Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed

  • 2 cups rolled oats 

  • ¾ cup pitted medjool dates, chopped finely

  • ¼ cup coconut oil

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

  • ½ tsp salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

  2. In a large bowl, add all ingredients and mix well to combine.

  3. Use a large spoon to scoop the dough and place onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Gently flatten the cookies with the back of your hand or a spoon so they’re flat.

  4. Bake cookies for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Let cool before serving.

NOTE: These store well in the freezer for a quick grab and go breakfast or snack! (best when heated back up)

Health Benefits of Dates:

  • Dates are high in soluble fiber, helping to keep bowel movements regular

  • They contain multiple antioxidants, which boost your immune system, help fight inflammation, and protect your cells from free radicals

  • They are high in both phosphorus and calcium, which optimizes bones health

  • Dates contain potassium, which provides our bodies with electrolytes and maintains water/salt balance

  • They are known to promote cervical dilation and can even stimulate uterine contractions when had during the third trimester in pregnancy 

Sources and Additional Reading: