Sweet and Savory Stuffed Dates Recipe

Sweet and Savory Stuffed Dates

Stephanie Lang, MS, RDN, CDN

Updated on July 30, 2021

(11 ratings)

Total Time: 5 min

Prep Time: 0 min

Cook Time: 5 min

Servings: 2 (2 dates each)

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

73 calories

5g fat

7g carbs

2g protein

Show Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 (2 dates each)
Amount per serving
Calories	73
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g	6%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 7g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 5g
Includes 0g Added Sugars	0%
Protein 2g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 8mg	1%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 95mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

In a Mediterranean-style diet, sweets are only consumed in small amounts. Instead, there is an emphasis on choosing fresh or dried fruits to eat after or between meals. Dates are especially known for their sweet taste, and they can be eaten as is or added to salads, chicken, or rice dishes, or soaked and pureed into a paste to use in baking, spread onto toast, or stirred into yogurt or dressings.

Dates are a good source of potassium and fiber. This recipe calls for stuffing dates with high-protein, high-healthy fat sunflower seed butter or low-fat, high-protein goat cheese. Enjoy a stuffed date or two before or after a workout to keep your energy up.

Along with eating a healthy diet, being physically active for at least 30 minutes per day—whether that means a leisurely walk, a high-intensity exercise, or simply doing the activities of daily living—is loaded with health benefits. Merely 30 minutes of being even lightly physically active will boost your mood, sharpen your focus, reduce stress, and improve sleep.

Ingredients

4 large Medjool dates
1 tbsp sunflower seed butter
1/2 tsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp goat cheese
1/2 tsp honey

Preparation

Cut a slit in the dates with a knife and take out the pits.
To make the sunflower butter and seed dates, stuff half the dates with sunflower seed butter and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.
To make the goat cheese and honey dates, stuff the remaining dates with the soft goat cheese each and top with a drizzle of honey.

Variations and Substitutions

Medjool dates are large, semi-soft dates that are well-suited to stuffing and are widely available in the United States. While Medjool dates make a great base for this recipe, feel free to branch out and explore other varieties of dates available at your local markets.

Want to spice things up? Add a few shakes of cinnamon or a pinch of freshly grated ginger to the sunflower stuffed dates. Get nutty and add a walnut half to the goat cheese and honey stuffing.

If you don't like goat cheese, you can also use a hard white cheddar, ricotta cheese, or even cream cheese as a filling.

Cooking and Serving Tips

These dates are natural finger foods, making for a great snack or party appetizer.
The stuffed dates are best when consumed immediately after or within a day of stuffing. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and practice food safety.

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