If you have been following me for a while now, you know that I gave up processed white sugar (and most processed dessert products… aside from the occasional vegan ice cream or dark chocolate as a treat). Aside from fruit, the number one thing that helped me ween off sugar was dates. They are natural, an energy booster, and packed with some many nutrients and minerals. Fiber, calcium, vitamins… just the works. They are so naturally sweet – there is a reason why they are often called nature’s candy.
The best part – dates are not crazy expensive (usually!) I go to BJ’s Wholesale Club and grab a 40 oz bag for $7.99. SO CHEAP. I have to grab it everytime I am there. Trader Joe’s also has a box of medjool dates for $4 or so.
And before I continue, here’s photographic proof over my love affair with dates:
Haha! Okay, onto the reason for this post.
My favorite way to use dates as a sweetener is in a smoothie. I will add 2-3 dates to whatever smoothie I am making, and it instantly sweetens it up a bit. If you have a ton of fruit, you may not always need them, but they definitely make green smoothies taste delicious. Another favorite smoothie is this caramel date smoothie.
Another way I use dates to sweeten is as a syrup. I make my own – store it in a mason jar and keep in fridge for future use. I use this mostly in my oatmeal in the morning. Sometimes, I mash up banana. Other times, I use this syrup. It blends in smooth and makes it super sweet. You could use it in whatever you want, I’d imagine. I also use it when I make sweet potato breakfast bowls. I have never tried it in baking, though.
To make the syrup, you need:
- About a cup of medjool dates, soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes
- About 2 cups water
Blend everything in a high speed blender until smooth. Add more or less water for your consistency preference.
If you are making baked goods but trying to use less sugar, I like recipes that will use bits and pieces of dates in the batter instead of processed sugar. For instance, in scones or muffins. I should post a recipe like this soon… I’ll try to work on it.
Speaking of bits and pieces, I love just dicing a date up small and topping my nice cream, smoothie, or oatmeal with it.
Lastly – this isn’t a way to “sweeten” something, but it is worth mentioning that dates make one hell of a candy. This recipe is one of my absolute favorites to kill a sweet tooth in a semi-healthy way. It is also a great dip for fruit. It tastes like caramel!
So honestly, if you can’t tell by now… dates are the best. Ha! They are so versatile and I’ve found it very easy to eliminate processed sugar by using dates as a replacement.
I hope that these give you a few ideas to incorporate dates in your diet. I don’t think you’ll miss sugar too much once your taste buds adjust and your sugar high is gone. Break the addiction! xx bianca
