The date is a sweet and versatile fruit that you can include in a wide variety of recipes. Dates can also be eaten fresh, but they are more difficult to find. Dry ones are easy to prepare and can be added to salads, breakfast cereals, cakes and numerous other sweet and savory dishes. Being very sweet by nature, they are also an excellent substitute for refined sugar.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Dried Dates
Step 1. Buy dried dates from the supermarket, greengrocer, or a store that sells organic and natural foods
They are generally found alongside other dried fruit varieties, such as raisins or plums. They are mostly sold packaged, but in some cases it is also possible to find them loose in the area reserved for fresh fruit.
Step 2. Remove the pits
Many dates have a core in the center, but not all of them. Read the information on the package to see if they are whole or have already been pitted. If there is no indication, cut one in half to check. The simplest method to remove the stones is to cut the dates lengthwise and extract them with your fingers, gently peeling them from the pulp.
If you have purchased pitted dates, do a brief check anyway because there may be some stones left, otherwise you risk breaking a tooth
Step 3. Chop the dates
Hold them still, one at a time, with your non-dominant hand, and slice them lengthwise using a small sharp knife. Rotate the slices 90 ° and cut them again to get very small pieces. This size is ideal for salads, breakfast cereals, and many other recipes.
It is generally not necessary to soak dates in water if you want to add them to salads or cereals
Step 4. Soak the dates to soften them if you intend to blend them
If you want to use them in a smoothie, to make treats or for other recipes, it's best to let them soften in the water. Later they will give even more flavor to your preparations. If you want to make the most of the sweet taste of dates, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes before using them. You can also use room temperature water, but in that case you will need to remember to soak them the day before.
Part 2 of 2: Using Dates in the Kitchen
Step 1. Eat dried dates when you feel like a quick snack
You can enjoy them as they are at snack time. Remember that, especially if you bought them whole, you have to pay attention to the stones, so bite them into small pieces to avoid the risk of breaking a tooth.
Step 2. Chop them and add them to breakfast cereals
Dates go especially well with rolled oats. Cut them into very small pieces or soak them in hot water for 10 minutes (or the night before if you use water at room temperature). One date per person may be enough for breakfast. Take a cue from the following combinations to start the day in a healthy way:
- Cereals, almond milk, dates, apple, cinnamon, chia seeds and ginger;
- Cereals, yogurt, dates, coffee, chia seeds and ground almonds.
Step 3. Add dates to your salads
Chopped dates are an excellent ingredient to combine with the classic salad, cooked cereals (for example with barley or spelled salads) and other assortments of vegetables. For a salad for 4-6 people, add 5 to 8 chopped dates, depending on the size. You can draw inspiration from the following recipes:
- Roasted cauliflower salad with chopped dried dates;
- Quinoa salad with pumpkin and chopped dried dates.
Step 4. Add them to your smoothies
They are excellent for sweetening your preparations without using refined sugar. Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes before adding them to your favorite ingredients when you fancy a smoothie. In this case, you can use up to three pitted dates per person, depending on the size. Here are some healthy and delicious combinations:
- Banana, almond milk, blueberries, flax seeds, peanut butter and dates;
- Banana, almond milk, lime juice, cardamom, chia seeds, cinnamon and dates (try adding a pinch of salt as well).
Step 5. Take inspiration from North African cuisine to make delicious treats
Dates are sweet and sticky, qualities that make them an excellent base for making delicious pralines that don't need cooking. Put them in the blender after soaking them in the water, then add the other ingredients, such as oat flakes, chocolate chips, peanut butter, chia seeds, grated coconut or nuts. Turn on the blender at short intervals to get a grainy mixture, then shape it with your hands to make balls. Place the treats in the refrigerator for an hour before eating them. You can give free rein to your imagination; here are some ideas:
- Dates, rolled oats, almond butter, cashews;
- Dates, puffed rice, coconut flakes, vanilla extract and butter.
