Anyone else here a huge fan of dates? These babies were life-changing once I gave them a shot. I started by using them in smoothies for natural sweetness. I’m also a huge fan of making my own date syrup to use in homemade applesauce in the fall (so good – you need to try!) Eventually, I got to a point where I started using it to make frozen candies, caramel dip for fruit, and then just eating them plain with a big dollop of peanut butter. YUM. There’s so much you can do, and so many reasons why you should be including them in your diet.
Yes, dates are high in sugar, but they provide a ton of energy and benefits – especially during pregnancy. I’ve gotten into a habit of checking on foods and their benefits during pregnancy over the past 8 months and I was really excited to hear how glorious dates are.
Fast forward to now… ready to pop and bring my sunshine girl into the world. Dates may help ease and shorten labor – really? Sold. Of course, I am not a doctor and do not know if this is true (can anyone attest to this claim?) but I’m down to do whatever may help. Enter the caramel date smoothie.
Dates for some labor love, peanut butter for that protein, and almond milk for my calcium. I’d say this is a win for the last month of my pregnancy!
Recipe
You will need:
- 6-8 pitted dates, soaked in warm water for 10 min
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 tbs peanut butter
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- Pinch of salt
- Handful of ice
To make:
- Add all ingredients to your blender/bullet and run until smooth (may take about 2-3 minutes). Enjoy!
Whether you are making this to reap its benefits for pregnancy or simply just to enjoy (hey hey non-pregnant people), dates are definitely something you should be enjoying in your diet. Nature’s (very sweet) candy! And if you guys are interested in my date syrup recipe, speak up. I’ll have to share soon if enough people would like to see it! xx bianca
