We’re big fans of dates in our house. When we go to the Farmer’s Market every week, we always get a bag of them. They’re Kenya’s version of “candy”. Sweet, chewy and rich, if you put them in a wrapper, I’m sure most kids would think they really are candy.

Although the dates we get are perfect just on their own, I decided to take them a step further, and try to make healthy candy bites out of them. The recipe only takes minutes to whip up and the bites freeze beautifully, too. Well, unless you’re making them for Kenya, of course. Then they don’t have enough time to make it to the freezer. Kenya figured out where I had put my freshly-made batch, carried his little chair to the counter, opened the tin and ate a dozen of these bites within minutes. Thank goodness they’re made with nature’s sugar!

Date Nut Bites

1 Lb. Dates (I used 21 Medjool dates), pitted
1/2 Cup Walnuts
1 Cup Coconut, preferably unsweetened

1. Place pitted dates and walnuts in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Place the coconut on a plate.
3. Take 1 tsp of the date/walnut mixture and roll into balls.
4. Roll the balls in the coconut to cover the entire outside of the balls.
5. Serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

There’s the sweetest man at our farmer’s market who sells dates every Sunday. He sits there and calls out to all who pass, “nature’s candy!” I agree with him — that’s a perfect name for dates because they’re so sweet and creamy, just like candy. There are so many varieties of date to choose from, but my favorite ones are Medjools because they’re extra creamy and sweet.

Dates are high vitamin A and B6, but also in sugar, so just like candy, you don’t want to overdose on them (even though dates’ sugar is obviously natural). This date shake is perfect at this time of year when dates are fresh and in season. The shake is sweet — but not too sweet — and a great energy booster for kids heading off to school in the morning. Kenya may not be in school yet, but that doesn’t stop him from starting every day with one!

Date Shake (2 Serving)

2 Frozen Banana
1/2 Cup Rice, Almond, Soy or Cow’s Milk
4 Dates, pitted
1/2 Cup Orange Juice

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Serve.

Several years ago I went through a major “bar phase”. No, I wasn’t getting 
smashed all over town, I was consuming Luna, Lara and other similar types of 
protein bars at a rapid rate. It became such an obsession that two of my girlfriends and I actually set out to form our own bar company — just imagine getting to cook one of your 
favorite foods all day, every day. We had a name, a mission statement, and developed recipes for every flavor of bar under the sun and 
they were delicious (I think). But unlike the majority of bars on the market that 
are jam packed with additives and sugar, our goal was to make something 
completely organic, packed with protein, devoid of sugar, and full of flavor. The bigger goal was to do all this using as few ingredients per bar as 
possible. The bar business became a casualty of our busy lives, but I still produce them for my friends and family.

Which got me thinking. Breakfast can be a real challenge when you’re trying to get your 
entire family out the door and sending your little one to school with 
a healthy snack can be just as hard. This bar recipe is a treat that everyone 
(over the age on 1 and no history of nut allergies) in the family will love and since the recipe makes 16 bars and they stay fresh for weeks. Your set!

Protein Bars (Makes 16 Bars)

1 Cup Cashews, raw and unsalted
1 Cup Almonds, raw and unsalted
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
2 1/4 Cup Dates (about 20)
3/4 Cup Rolled Oats
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp Agave

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees (or put your oven on it’s lowest setting and adjust the cooking time).
2. Place the nuts in a bowl and cover with COOL water and soak for 1 hour.
3. Cover the dates with HOT water and soak for 30 minutes. After soaking, drain off the water and pit the dates.
4. Place the oats in a food processor and grind to a powder. Place in a separate large bowl.
5. Drain the water off the nuts, place on a towel to remove excess water. Place the nuts in a food processor with the dried cranberries and pulse until nuts are in small pieces (the nuts will be uneven pieces which is fine. Just make sure they are all chopped.
6. Place the nuts in the bowl with the oats.
7. Place the dates, vanilla and agave in food processor and pulse until it makes a puree.
8. Place the date mixture with the oat mixture and thoroughly combine all the ingredients (mixture will be thick and sticky).
9. Place the date nut mixture on a silpat on a cookie sheet. Spread out using a spatula or even your hands.
10. Shape into a long log resembling a long rectangle. Make sure the rectangle is flat and even.
11. Bake for 5 hours or until the log is firm, but not hard (If the lowest setting on your oven is 200 degrees, cook for 4 hours).
12. Cool, cut into bars and wrap individually.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor