Medjool dates stuffed with almond butter and coated in dark chocolate. These chocolate covered stuffed dates are made with real food ingredients and taste even better than a candy bar.
Let’s talk about sugar! We all know that sugar is something we should limit in our diet, right? But a life without sweetness would just be boring. Let’s be real. When it comes to sugar, my biggest tip is to limit processed sugar and switch to natural sugars like maple syrup, honey, and Medjool dates.
Medjool dates are a great natural sweetener alternative and have some pretty amazing health benefits.
So, here’s the lowdown on Medjool dates’ nutrition. A serving of two pitted dates has:
- 133 calories
- 1 gram protein
- 0.5 grams fat
- 36 grams carbs
- 3 grams fiber
- 0 mg sodium
- 32 grams sugar
That sounds like quite a bit of sugar, right? However, Medjool dates offer up a lot of other nutritional value. They’re high in potassium and get you about 334 milligrams of the mineral, similar to what you’ll find in a small banana and about 13 percent of what you should eat every day.
Dates also provide some calcium and phosphorus, both of which contribute to bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis. So eating dates on occasion will do your bones some good, especially if you don’t eat dairy (this is essential for vegans).
Additionally, there is a decent amount of fiber per serving. Dates provide some fiber, which regulates digestion, aids in satiety, supports heart health, and feeds gut bacteria that regulate immunity and metabolism.
Bottom line, don’t let the sugar content scare you. Dates are an amazing food, in moderation. Now that we know why dates are beneficial to add to our diet, let’s get to these yummy Chocolate Covered Dates!
These incredible Chocolate Covered Dates taste like a snickers candy bar and are made with real, whole-food ingredients. They’re great to keep in the fridge or freezer and pop out one or two when you need a quick sweet treat.
If you try this recipe, let me know! I love seeing your comments, ratings, and photos tagged #livingwellwithnic on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Chocolate Covered Dates
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool Dates
- 4 Tbs Almond Butter or your favorite nut butter
- ½ cup Dark Chocolate Chips
- 1 tsp Coconut Oil
- Cacao nibs
Instructions
- Cut a slit in the dates and remove the pit.
- Fill each date with a spoonful of almond butter.
- Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small saucepan and heat on low heat to melt the chocolate chips.
- Using a toothpick or a fork to hold the date together while dipping into the chocolate.
- Top with extra almond butter and cacao nibs.
- Pop the covered dates on parchment and place in the freezer until the chocolate sets.
