Make a date with a date!

Has ADDN gone into matchmaking? (“Mawwiage, is whot bwings us, togevvah, today…”) Naw, just wanted to talk about one of my favorite little snacks – the date! :)

After the Christmas holidays, Kroger had a big clearance on organic Medjool dates, and I swiped up their entire collection!

Now, unlike an apple or banana, I don’t often just “dive in” to eating a plain date. (Well…ok, now and then I do!) But a date is essentially just natural sugar with a little punch of fiber (2 grams per date.) Yum! Ok, so, admittedly, you don’t want to devour a tub of dates just like you should avoid an entire tub of cookies… but when you need sweet, it’s a natural, unprocessed alternative. Yum yum! There are various types of dates, each with their own hints of flavor – the Medjool actually has almost a caramel-maple flavor to it. Yum yum yum!

And it goes great with nuts! YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM! :)

Dave and I have tried almonds, walnuts, and pecans, but so far, almonds are my favorite flavor combo. And, of course, while each nut has its own unique benefits, I do love the almond for its powerhouse of protein, massive manganese, and vast vitamin E! (And, that lovely tryptophan) And don’t forget its heart-healthy fats. In moderation, enjoy! I usually enjoy 2-4 of these at a time. Be careful! They're addicting!

Dates do have a pit, so I like to cut a slit to the pit, pull it out, and replace it with an almond or two! Crunch with gooey; nutty with sweet; fruit with protein… okay, maybe we ARE going into matchmaking! ;-) But at least it’s a healthy match!

Have a happy, sappy Valentine's weekend!

xoxox

~Katie