Tag Archives: Medjool Dates

October 11, 2012 · 1:30 pm

PUMPKIN PIE DESSERT HUMMUS

It is that time again…time for me to go pumpkin crazy. Let’s see, so far this week I have had a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (someday I’ll get around to writing down my recipe), pumpkin tamales (Thank you Mother’s Market!!!), and I ate my fair share of pumpkin while developing the recipe that follows…one that is sure to become a favorite for me.

I bought 10 cans of organic pumpkin at Trader Joe’s last week (no joke) and set to work in the kitchen to work on an idea I had while trying to fall asleep the night before. Apparently that is what I do. While other people have sugarplums dancing in their head, I have pureed pumpkin.

My first dessert hummus (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip) was such a hit with my kiddos that I wanted to come-up with another dessert hummus which would satisfy their sweet tooth and pump them with lots of fiber and protein. This new dessert hummus recipe is even healthier than my first since it is nut-butter free and thus low-fat.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do…I have been known to eat it by the spoonful.

Rest assured, there is sure to be lots of pumpkin on Veggie Grettie reader’s future.

INGREDIENTS

15 oz. can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed

15 oz. can organic pumpkin

10 Medjool dates, seeds removed

1/2 cup plant-based milk of choice (So Delicious almond or coconut milk works great)

1/4 cup So Delicious creamer (I used vanilla)

1 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice (That is NOT a typo, I like LOTS of spice)

2 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla

2 SweetLeaf stevia packets

Place all of the ingredients into the food processor (a high-speed blender will probably work, but I haven’t tried it) and pulse a few times to incorporate. Process for 1-2 minutes and stop to scrape down the sides.

Repeat processing until extremely smooth.

Store in the refrigerator.

For a printable version of this recipe click HERE.

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Tagged as dessert hummus, hummus recipe, Medjool Dates, Mother's Market, pumpkin pie hummus recipe, pumpkin tamales Mother's Market, So Delicious coconut creamer, Trader Joe's

January 27, 2012 · 2:30 pm

DESSERT HUMMUS – PB Chocolate Chip

About a week ago my daughter’s teacher and I were chatting when she mentioned that another teacher at the school just made a sweet hummus that she said was really good. She found the recipe on Chocolate Covered Katie whose blog I adore.

I decided to give the sweet hummus thing a whirl and came-up with a recipe that I am a bit obsessed with. I have seriously made 5 batches in the last 5 days (some of which was given away, but not much)!

This hummus is free of added salt, oil (just natural peanut butter), and refined sugar. The dates add such a nice sweetness to the hummus without leaving you with the crash and burn that follows a traditional sugar rush. Thanks to the fiber and nutrients in the dates your body will be happy.

While this may taste like cookie dough, you won’t be able to eat the whole bowl because the chickpeas will fill you up so quickly. My favorite ways to eat the hummus are with either a banana, some sliced apples, or celery spears.

This recipe is dedicated to you Nicole! Thanks for the inspiration.

INGREDIENTS

8 Medjool Dates, soaked (I buy mine at Costco)

Soaking water

15 oz. can Eden Organics Salt-Free Garbanzo Beans (aka chickpeas)

1/3 cup organic peanut butter

1 1/2 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla

2-3 Tbs. Enjoy Life mini-chocolate chips (optional)

Pit the dates and put them into a bowl. Press the dates down into the bowl and cover them with filtered water until they are JUST covered (it is ok if a tiny bit of the dates peak out through the water). Soak the dates in the water for at least 30 minutes.

Once the dates have soaked, place all of the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) in the food processor and process for 1-2 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Repeat this process a total of three times until the hummus is very smooth. I usually use this time to catch-up on dishes or mail… multi-tasking rules! Note that the hummus will be thinner than you are used to since it is warm from the processing. Rest assured the hummus will firm-up a bit once refrigerated.

Pour the hummus into a bowl and mix in the chocolate chips if so desired. That’s it. You are done. Place the completed hummus in the fridge to firm-up. Personally I always have a little serving of the hummus at this point with some apple or banana since I don’t have the patience to wait for it to set.

I also prefer to make the hummus without the chocolate chips and keep the plain version in the fridge since I don’t like to have chocolate chips in my dessert hummus if I will be eating it with sliced apples. In general I prefer the hummus without the chocolate chips, so I just mix the chocolate chips in for the kids at serving time.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

39 Comments

Filed under Appetizers, Beans/Legumes, Dessert, Dip, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Quick, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tagged as Chocolate Covered Katie, cookie dough hummus, dessert hummus recipe, Eden Organics Salt-Free Garbanzo Beans, Enjoy Life mini-chocolate chips, Medjool Dates, peanut butter chocolate chip hummus, peanut butter hummus, sweet hummus recipe, vegan, vegetarian

August 1, 2011 · 1:30 pm

BLUEBERRY PUDDING

I am a member of Dr. Fuhrman’s Member Center and as a member I receive daily recipes in the mail. Dr. Fuhrman practices Nutritional Medicine and is a great resource for any of you wishing to learn more about the connection between nutrition and health. I refer to his books as resources often.

A few weeks back I received a recipe for Berry “Yogurt” that looked so simple and refreshing (and mostly raw). Somehow it has taken me weeks to get around to making this treat…a treat that literally took two minutes to make from start to finish.

Blueberries have been outrageously good lately (I can’t seem to get enough!) which motivated me to make this berry pudding with blueberries exclusively. I decided that I wanted to go for more of a pudding than a yogurt and thus increased the flax meal to 4 Tbs. rather than 2Tbs. The results were great! Since my blueberries were sweet on their own, I did not add anything other than the dates. If you tend to have a big sweet tooth, you may want to keep some stevia on hand in case you want the pudding to be sweeter. I recommend blending it as written below and tasting it prior to adding any additional sweetener.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups blueberries, washed

¾ cups So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

4 Tbs. ground flax meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

4 Medjool dates, pitted

Place all ingredients in your Vitamix (or blender) and blend for approximately 1 minute.

Chill before serving.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

8 Comments

Filed under Dessert, Fruit, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Pudding / Mousse, Quick, Raw, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tagged as Bob's Red Mill ground flax meal, Dr. Fuhrman Member Center, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Joel Fuhrman Books, Medjool Dates, So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk, vegan, vegetarian

February 22, 2011 · 2:55 am

ORANGE WALNUT STUFFED DATES

I am always trying to create healthier desserts. I was inspired to make this dessert by some dates I had seen stuffed with cheese (I didn’t try them, but like the idea of stuffing dates). Since the dates are so sweet, the filling does not need to be…it would be overpowering if it was. I love how the orange flavor in the filling is subtle, but is definitely there.

These stuffed dates would be a great ending to a nice meal (or passed around on a platter as a sweet hors d’oeuvre). Brew some Celestial Seasonings Tangerine Orange Zinger herbal tea and offer the dates to your guests with sliced mandarins on the platter as well.

2 stuffed dates should be more than enough for each person. I did not make all 36 dates the last time I made these, so I froze the remaining filling to use on another occasion…I’ll let you know how it works out.

INGREDIENTS – makes up to 36 stuffed dates

1/2 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

1/3 cup orange juice (from approx. one orange)

2 Medjool dates

1 cup walnuts

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup cashews

zest of 1 orange + more for garnish

36 dates for stuffing

Place the coconut milk, orange juice, dates, walnuts, and cinnamon into your high speed blender and blend until smooth.

Once smooth, add the cashews and orange zest and blend until smooth.

Put the completed filling into a pastry bag and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (2 hours is best).

Prepare the dates by slicing lengthways down to the pit. Open the date carefully (you do not want to tear it in half) and use your fingers to form the date into a circle with the hole on top. Remove the pit.