Date Cookies
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 extra large egg or 2 medium eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop by teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 36 cookies.
Dried Fruit and Olive Tapenade
1 cup sultana raisins
8 large dates, chopped
boiling water
1 jar (500mL) sliced green olives
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, to taste
Place the raisins and dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until the water cools. Drain well.
Drain the olives and add, along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Allow tapenade to sit at room temperature for flavors to blend before serving.
If preparing more than a few hours in advance, refrigerate tapenade and then bring to room temperature before serving. Tapenade may also be frozen for longer storage.
Serve with crusty bread, crackers, cured meats, or nuts.
The dried fruits can be varied - try figs or apricots. I used green olives for more color but black may be used as well. Chopped nuts can be added to the mixture for some crunch.
There is hardly a recipe for these - just something tasty I recently came up with. Dates can be stuffed with a variety of yummy fillings, the most common being nuts and soft cheeses. Wrapping sweet dates in salty cured meats is also popular. I decided to stuff my dates with a little sweet relish, bound together with a bit of tahini paste. I blended these together using a handheld immersion blender, then thickened the mixture on the stovetop with a small amount of cornstarch. Then I added a good amount of ground black pepper. Theses flavors give an acidic bite to contrast with the sweet date. I like the bright green color from the relish as well, and the consistency of the filling was perfect.
I then sprinkled the dates with a few crushed red pepper flakes to add some color and extra heat.
The best dates to use for stuffed dates are those big, fresh, soft and sweet Medjool dates if you are able to get your hands on them. They usually have to be pitted, opening up a large cavity for a good amount of filling. These dates can even be cut in half for an open-faced stuffed date, or if you'd you would like smaller bites. I didn't have the Medjool dates, and I wanted tiny dates, so I used the common dates found at grocery stores.To prep in advance, these stuffed dates may even be frozen in a single layer.
I've never been much of one for pie dough. We never had shortening or lard on hand, the traditional fats of choice, and butter or margarine never seemed to work for me. The dough was too crumbly, and when I added more water than called for, this didn't help at all. I've used shortbread, graham crumb, and chocolate crusts for my pies instead. But this is a new crust I tried and I love it. It basically has two ingredients. The procedure here seems long, but that's only because I explained everything at length - really all you need to do is blitz in a food processor! You can use any nut you wish, but I like almonds. It's simple, healthy, vegan, and goes with a variety of pies. I used it for my wild berry tart the other day.
Healthy Sweet Nut Tart
1/2 cup pitted dates
water
1 cup whole, natural almonds
feel free to add a dash of spice, a splash of extract, or something else to add some additional flavor
Put the dates in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Turn heat off and allow to cool so the dates will plump up and absorb all the moisture.
Drain all the liquid off. Reserve this liquid - it is amazing. It can be drunken warm as a hot date tea, as sweet as juice but with no added sugar. Or add some cocoa powder and make hot chocolate. It can be used to sweetened a variety of tings - baked goods, savory items, etc. etc. The liquid can be reduced to make date syrup or date honey, used as maple syrup or honey in baking (and cheaper!).
Put half the dates in a food processor with all the almonds and begin to process until mixture comes together. The almonds will break into small pieces and the dates will bind them together. The almonds do not need to be finely ground, actually, I prefer them in larger pieces. If the mixture is not sticky, add some more dates.
You may not need all the dates, but now you have dates that are already pre-plumped for another recipe, just store them in the fridge.
Press mixture into one eight or nine inch round pie or tart pan, two four inch round pie pans, or a bunch (I'd estimate eight to twelve) baby tart pans. Place in the freezer to firm up, then add your desired filling!
Naturally Sweet Chocolate Icing
1 cup pitted dates (the fresher and softer, the better)
warm water
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
That's honestly it!
Soak the dates in enough hot water to cover them. If you have really fresh and soft dates and a good food processor, this step may not be necessary if you don't have the time, but it does help. Aim to soak for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better - even overnight.
Drain the dates, reserving the liquid. Add dates and cocoa to a food processor, along with some of the liquid - begin with 1/4 cup. Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides and adding more liquid if necessary.
The amount of water you add to this depends on how fresh the dates are, and what consistency you are looking to achieve. If you want a fudge-like texture, you will hardly need any icing, but if you want a thin texture to glaze a cake, add more water.
The dates provide all the sweetness and texture this icing requires! But you would never guess, the icing is very sweet, it doesn't even taste like a dark chocolate glaze. Be sure to blend until very smooth, as you can see from my picture, I don't have the best food processor, but even then the icing is still amazing. I am extremely impressed with this - I was eating it by the spoonful, and liked it more so than I like chocolate mousse or chocolate fudge. Yum!
This is another energy bar recipe I developed, which is high in protein and full of flavor and texture. The dominant flavor here is definitely peanut butter, but a different type of nut butter could be used if preferred. Likewise, ingredient substitutions could be made - such as chocolate chips for the raisins and chopped nuts for the sunflower seeds.
Peanut Butter Energy Bars
2 cups granola or multigrain cereal mix
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup pitted dates
water, to cover
1 1/3 cups smooth natural peanut butter
1/3 cup smooth almond butter
2/3 cup honey
Place the granola, oats, flax, raisins, seeds, and spices in a large bowl and mix well.
In a large saucepan, bring the dates with just enough water to cover them to a boil. Boil for a few minutes until dates soften, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the peanut butter, almond butter, and honey and heat until melted and smooth.
Pour this mixture over the dry mixture in the bowl and stir to coat. Press this mixture into a parchment-lined 9x13-inch rectangular pan. I find it easier to use your hands to mix and press this mixture. Refrigerate for several hours until firm, then cut into bars.
Date Muffins
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
3/4 cup boiling water
2 large eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Place the dates in a bowl. Pour the water over top and allow to stand until softened and cool.
Preheat oven to 400◦F. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs until frothy. Beat in the oil and vanilla, then the sugar. Stir in the dates with the liquid.
Fold in the dry ingredients. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for about 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
I love homemade granola. Usually I am more of a hot cereal fan, but I do enjoy bowls of homemade, nutritious granola, catered to my personal tastes. Something slightly odd though, is that I rarely eat my cereal with milk. I occasionally eat it with yogurt, but usually I just add fresh fruit and keep my cereal crunchy instead of soggy in the milk.
Making granola usually requires baking up a large batch of cereal, which then only has a short shelf life since it has no preservatives, and would need to be refrigerated or frozen, which often causes it to lose its crunch.Another thing about granola is that it usually requires some form of fat or sweetener to make it hold together in chunks, and must be baked for a long time at a low temperature and stirred frequently. I personally prefer looser granolas without the chunks.
Therefore, I have discovered a nifty way to make just enough granola quickly. This only works for loose granola though. You just combine all the ingredients in a bowl, approximately a small spoonful of each, and add fresh fruit, milk, or yogurt. The bowl of granola featured here is a combination if cereal squares of cracker pieces, whole hazelnuts, dates, wheat germ, ground flaxseed, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and fresh sliced strawberries.
Dates and walnuts. They are just one of the classic, no-fail, always tasty combinations. They can be paired with other foods as well, but i would be happy with a handful of dates and walnuts. They are used in a lot of recipes, specially healthy dessert recipes, energy bars, and no bake brownies. Walnuts can be ground and used as a "flour" and dates can be puréed and used as a sweetened paste for sugar and/or eggs.
This is a simple bowl of microwaved oatmeal, which I jazzed up with some walnuts, dates, and a hint of cinnamon. Doesn't look like much, but these two simple ingredients add flavor, crunch, sweetness, and chewiness - welcome textures to oatmeal! This is one of my "baked" oatmeal recipes - all ingredients are combined and microwaved, creating a dryer, firmer oatmeal. This is different than my overnight oatmeals, which aren't cooked at all and tend to be a bit runnier.
Apricot Hazelnut Energy Bars
500 grams dried apricots
2 cups boiling water
1 cup pitted dates
1 1/2 cups rolled oats, toasted if desired
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup hazelnuts, roasted if desired
In a medium-sized bowl, pour the water over the apricots and allow to soak and soften for at least eight hours.
Line a 9x9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor, purée the apricots and water with the dates until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and boil over medium heat for about ten minutes, stirring often, until dry and very thick.
Add oats, salt, and spices and cook for about ten minutes more, until it becomes a stiff, solid mass. Fold in hazelnuts.
Spread in prepared pan and allow to cool.
These are easy, no-bake energy bars with plenty of flavor and texture and lots of nutrition.
The fruit and nuts may be varied as desired, and a cup of chopped chocolate may be added along with the hazelnuts.
These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month.
Makes about sixteen bars.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (not fat free)
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup dates
Process all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. If you have an ice cream maker, use it. If not, transfer it to a shallow container and stir every half hour or so. It could be eaten immediately, but it is really soft and more like chocolate yogurt. If frozen for just a few hours, it becomes like soft serve, and if frozen longer, much more solid (definitely keep it in a shallow container so it is easier to scoop).
Optional flavoring add-ins: espresso powder, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, honey, maple syrup.
This is one of the protein bar trials I have completed. I would classify this one as a "healthier" tasting version - all of my trials are healthy and high protein, but these certainly have a healthy appearance and taste. Some people go for that and prefer that, I being one of them. However, if you are trying to "fool" your consumers, this recipe won't do. This is an extremely good bar for active, on the go consumers, as the bars are sturdy, easy to eat, and hold up well. They can be kept on the counter, refrigerated, or frozen. They are chewy and provide a great quick of energy in a small amount. And they are tasty - natural sweetener, applesauce, and dates add flavor, where coconut, seeds, and oats add texture. Feel free to add more dates if you wish!
High Protein Bar Cookies
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg or flax egg replacement for vegans (1 Tablespoon flax mixed with 1 Tablespoon water) I used flax
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup molasses or maple syrup
3 Tablespoons flax oil
2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
handful large dates, chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 inch square pan with oil.
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.
In a separate small bowl, mix all the wet ingredients
Add to dry ingredients, mix well. Fold in dates. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for about 25 minutes. Great warm or chilled. Cut into squares and package individually for convenience, freeze for prolonged storage.
These spicy, flavorful, moist muffins have some nice harvest flavors of apples, cranberries, dried fruit, nuts and spices. They are a different muffin but definitely delicious and certainly a nice flavor of fall. They may not look that presentable, but they certainly smell good during baking.
Autumn Muffins
3 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
3/4 cup granulated (white) sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup melted butter or margarine
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup chopped, peeled apple
1 cup fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped dried figs, dates, or raisins
3/4 cup chopped (toasted) nuts, optional
Preheat oven to 375◦F. Grease or line muffin cups.
In a large bowl, stir together the first nine dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add the butter, eggs, and milk. Stir in remaining ingredients. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Almond Raisin Date Granola
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup almonds, sliced or chopped
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, as desired
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dates, chopped
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x13 inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper.
Stir together the oats, almonds, wheat germ, coconut, and spices in the baking pan. Drizzle the oil and molasses over top and mix.
Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every ten minutes until golden.
Add the raisins and dates and let cool before stirring.
This is just another granola cereal recipe I tried. I really like this one, as it is easy, hearty, and I really like the flavor combinations, but you can vary the type of nuts and dried fruit as you wish.
Well, here is a cereal recipe I made the other day. I just kind of made it up as I went along, putting in what I thought would be good and guessing at amounts. It turned out pretty well, for my tastes anyway. This is more of a dry cereal, that is good for sprinkling on yogurt, or over fruit, or enjoying in a bowl with milk. It is not exactly a granola, and it does not stick together in clusters or anything. Of course, this recipe can be varied and I probably will never make the exact same batch twice.
Spicy Dry Cereal Mix
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup natural wheat bran
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup pumpkin (or other) seeds
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil or olive oil
1 Tablespoon melted natural smooth peanut butter
1 Tablespoon liquid honey
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, dates, apricots, berries), optional
Preheat oven to 300◦F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the first ten dry ingredients.
In a separate small bowl, mix the next four wet ingredients.
Drizzle the wet ingredients over the dry and mix, using your hands if necessary. Spread the mixture on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring every ten. Let cool, then stir in fruit.
Well, last year I made some figgy pudding for Christmas, so this year I wanted to try a different Christmas pudding recipe. I was thinking of plum pudding, but I couldn't find any canned plums, plus I came across this recipe for sticky toffee pudding published in the newspaper the other day.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
250 grams (approximately one cup) pitted dates, chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
1 2/3 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line muffin cups with paper liners.
In a small saucepan, bring the dates and water to a boil, cook on high until thickened while preparing the rest of the batter.
In a large bowl ,cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs. Stir in the molasses and corn syrup. Stir in the flour and baking powder, mix well.
Using a handheld immersion blender, puree the date mixture until smooth. Stir in the baking soda. Add to batter, mix well. Divide among muffin cups, do not overfill. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over bake. Serve warm or reheated with rum toffee sauce (see tomorrow's post).
Yesterday I made a pan of date squares for the first time. I have actually only eaten date squares a few times as well, but I knew from those few tastes that I really liked them. I have been meaning to make date squares for a while now, but only got around to it now. I am certainly glad I did, as they were very tasty, and others agreed. I love dates to begin with, and the rich, sticky date filling really appealed to me. I also really like the crust, with is an oat crust, with plenty of butter and brown sugar that makes it delicious. The combination of the crust and filling is really good. There are quite a few recipes for date squares around, but all of them are pretty similar, so just choose the one that sounds the best/easiest/uses ingredients you have on hand, and you probably can't go wrong! These squares smell very good while baking. They also cut very well. I can definitely see why they are popular at parties and gatherings. The only problem is they disappear too fast. Since I only needed half a package of dates to make this recipe, I will probably be making another batch soon! Maybe I will try making a double sized pan sometime.
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