May 22, 2023

Stuffed Dates {Easy & Quick Plant-Based Snack/Dessert}

My kids love these little gems. A little salt. A little sweet. A little crunch. We started eating these for a snack when we were scaling back on sweet things. Cutting back on bananas was hard. Measuring and limiting honey and pure maple syrup was a new practice. Although, we’ve always limited junk food we were surprised by how much natural sugars we were consuming. We had to really work through cravings. I’ve read that it is actually the candida/fungus overgrowth in the gut that makes us crave. We sought to balance our gut microbiome by eating lower glycemic foods and finding sweets that included more fiber and protein. This treat checked all the boxes!

Slowly our cravings for salt, sugar and fat diminished.

We had to relearn what hungry feels like. It feels so much better than craving. It feels content and necessary. Like a gentle reminder to nourish your body.

Are Dates Healthy?

I’d say YES! In moderation of course. I have one little darling that would eat a pound of them if I’d look away long enough. I ate them intentionally during my last pregnancy because veteran Mamas (and studies) suggest that eating them may ease labor! It was worth a try and proved successful for me! We are obviously fans of this little fruit.

I’ve read that they are:

Anti-Inflammatory {necessary for healing}
Low Glycemic {surprising right?}
High Anti-Oxidants
High Fiber {always looking to add fiber to our diets}
Nutrient Dense
High Calorie {good calories for my active family}
Good for Bone Health
Good Source of Energy

How are Dates grown?

They grow from a Date Palm Tree. When I found this out I immediately searched for info on growing our own. It was more complicated than I’d prefer. Some say humidity can cause the dates to ferment and fall before they ripen. I tried to imagine myself tending dates via ladder or perhaps asking my husband to shinny (it’s shinny not shimmy…much to my surprise) up barefoot to check their status. Will the birds and bugs eat them before we can? It was just too much. It felt out of reach. This will be a fruit I continue to buy. Though, perhaps one day I’ll revisit the idea! In the meantime, we’ll marvel while we eat fruit from a palm tree to nourish our bodies!