In moderation, dried dates like Medjool and others are a healthy option due to their high fiber and mineral content. The best way to eat them depends on your taste. Medjool dates are delicious in their natural state, but they also lend their rich, sweet flavor and soft, chewy texture to a variety of culinary purposes. Below you will find a selection of simple recipes and innovative ideas to help you incorporate more Medjool into your diet, whether you're looking to utilize them in baked goods, cooked meals, or raw food preparations. Medjool dates that have been pitted make a great on-the-go snack. One can also make a more exciting snack by dipping them in melted chocolate (use healthy dark chocolate with 85 percent cocoa). Try topping the warm chocolate-covered dates with some superfood trail mix for a more complex snack (try this superfood trail mix which contains goji berries, raisins, almonds, chia, flax, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds). In place of sugar or another sweetener, date paste (prepared from Medjool dates and a bit of water) can be used as a thickening and in some recipes. If you're looking to cut back on the sugar and butter in your favorite cookie and spice cake recipes, try subbing in some date paste instead. Keep in mind, though, that it may take some experimentation with a recipe before you find the ideal substitute ratio. 
One of the most delectable uses for Medjool dates is in raw food chocolate truffles. Different raw food recipes for date-packed chocolate truffles exist, but the simplest one requires just three: Ingredients include raw, unsweetened cocoa powder, almonds, dates (either Medjool or ordinary), and pitted dates. Raw food truffles are easy to make: just blend 1 cup of pitted dates, 1 cup of soaked and drained nuts (cashews work excellent), and 1/4 cup of raw cacao powder in a small food processor until smooth, then roll into 1-inch balls and dust with cacao powder. You should chill the truffles in the fridge for at least an hour before enjoying them. Raw foodists have yet another fantastic use for Medjool dates: using them for healthier pie crusts. Pureed dry dates are an excellent binder for no-bake pie crusts, and they're also a staple in many raw pie filling recipes. Try some of the recipes in Ani's Raw Food Kitchen for pies and tarts where dried dates are used in both the crust and the filling. This classic raw food cookbook includes recipes for delectable raw pies like All-American Apple Pie, Pecan Chai Pie on Cashew Crust, and Autumn Pumpkin Pie. Dried dates are a major element in homemade power bars, which are the ideal on-the-go snack for energetic people. Dried dates not only add sweetness to homemade energy bars, but they help hold the ingredients together. In a food processor, process equal amounts of nuts pitted Medjool, and other dried fruit until thick paste forms; use this paste as the basis for your energy bars. The dough should next be pressed into a thick square on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Wrap tightly and chill in the fridge overnight. 
The dough should be squared out and chilled overnight before being cut into bars the following day. Eat right away or put it in the fridge for later. Smoothies especially blended green smoothies that combine fruit with green leafy vegetables and are thus less sweet than 100% fruit-based smoothies, benefit greatly from the addition of several pitted Medjool dates or other pitted dates. Dried Medjool dates are a concentrated source of sweetness, so just a pinch goes a long way when blending together a date smoothie. Medjool dates are commonly used in dessert recipes. But the savories of curries, salads, Moroccan-style slow-cooked stews, and Middle Eastern pilafs are all enhanced by the addition of Medjool. If you find yourself with an abundance of dates and no plans for them, fear not; dates can be easily frozen for use in smoothies and other recipes. Freezing does not significantly alter the texture of dried Medjool dates because they are high in sugar and low in the water. Pack the Medjool into freezer-safe bags or containers and place them in the freezer. Frozen Medjool dates should be used within a year. Although there are countless variations on the theme, all stuffed Medjool date recipes share two key characteristics: they are really simple to prepare, and they are guaranteed to be a hit at any gathering. Recipe for Stuffed Medjool Dates: Initially, you should slit each date down its length and remove the pit. Fill each date with whatever you like, and then squeeze to close. 
Date sugar is a natural whole food sweetener that may be found at some health food stores and online. If you have access to a coffee grinder, a high-powered food processor, or a blender, you can produce your own date sugar by dehydrating pitted Medjool dates or normal pitted dates until they are very hard and dry. Date sugar, either homemade or purchased, can stand in for white sugar in many baking recipes. Medjool dates are on the verge of taking over the planet. There has been a meteoric rise in the consumption of this delicious fruit in recent years due to its natural sweetening properties. Although you can use them in both sweet and savory dishes, you'll most likely encounter them in energy bars. Here at A Couple Cooks, we can't get enough of Medjool dates, and we have plenty of dishes to prove it. To that end, we've compiled a few of our favorite easy dishes that feature Medjool dates. The most popular item on our menu is the fudgy date brownie, which is made by blending dates and nuts into a consistency similar to that of a traditional brownie. Medjool dates, the staple of energy bar recipes, are also a terrific addition to our "healthy" milkshake and other smoothies. Are you ready to begin preparing dinner? These stuffed dates are great as party finger food or a thoughtless snack when you're hungry because they need so little effort to make. My kid, who is 3, and I both really enjoy these. Quick and simple combos like this one are our go-to since they yield the best results in the kitchen. The ingredients for this dish are as follows: When to pick a Medjool fig: These dates, which are gigantic in size, have a sweet, caramel flavor. Their widespread ubiquity can be attributed to their inclusion in no-bake snacks like Lara bars (here's our own handmade version) and other similar products. The tangy, creamy, and savory goodness of goat cheese. Use any mild goat cheese you choose for this recipe. The recipe calls for crushed pistachios as a topping. Incorporating smoked paprika, also known as pimento or Spanish smoked paprika, is essential because of the smoky, savory taste it imparts. Find it in the grocery store near you in the aisle with the spices. 
The finishing touches are the crystals of sea salt and the freshly ground pepper. All you have to do to make this dish is remove the pits from the dates and sprinkle some mild goat cheese on top. A few easy things to keep in mind while preparing these dates stuffed with goat cheese: Use goat cheese that has been softened at room temperature or by hand. Goat cheese is less difficult to work with when it has been allowed to come to room temperature rather than being taken straight from the refrigerator. If you don't have time to let it sit out, rub it with your hands while still in the container. It softens up, making it easier to eat with a spoon. If you use just a little bit of smoked paprika, you'll notice a big difference. When using smoked paprika, a small amount goes a long way. A mere sprinkling is all it takes to release the delicious smokiness. Since bacon goes well with dates, we were able to imitate that flavor combination. If you want to take these already delicious dates to the next level, add a little honey on the top. That's no longer required at all. When we tried it with honey, Alex wasn't as fond of it as I was. Do some experimenting and see what works best for you! Just like salt enhances the flavor of a savory dish, I found that it made everything better. Careful: a little honey goes a long way. Honey's flavor can be lost if too much is used. We learned this fun fact about Medjool dates while making the stuffed date recipe. Contrary to popular belief, these are not dried berries. The Medjool date is a fruit, not a vegetable. After being harvested from the date palm, they are quickly packaged. When there is no processing involved, they aren't even dry. Find a date in the Medjool area today. Due to their recent surge in popularity, you can find them in most large grocery chains in the United States. You may usually find them beside the bananas or the dried fruit in the grocery store's vegetable section. They are also available for purchase online.
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