Date Paste is a Clean Eating Sweetener made with just two ingredients. This sugar alternative is great for anyone that is trying to eat less refined sugar and replace it with a natural sweetener.
So really you can puree almost any dried fruit, add water and create a paste. Dates are great because they are naturally super sweet. Date paste also has a slightly caramel or brown sugar flavor.
My favorite way to eat date paste is in my oatmeal, in smoothies, spread onto toast or by the spoonful when I am craving sugar!
It doesn’t work in everything due to the consistency. I don’t think I would ever add this to my morning coffee or tea. But date paste is definitely worth having on hand and it is super-duper simple to make . . . in fact I wouldn’t even consider this a recipe.
And just a disclaimer: If you are adhering to a strict clean eating diet, dried fruit is considered off-limits by some clean eating sources while other sources allow it . . . you decide if this sugar alternative is right for your diet plan.
This recipe is part of my Healthy Happy Wednesday series. I have teamed up with several other bloggers that are posting about healthy lifestyle changes. This week is focused on diet changes and healthy alternatives. I’m not following a specific diet, but I am trying to eat less processed food. So my goal is to eat food that is natural, unprocessed , unrefined . . . I’m dabbling in the Clean Eating Craze. Oh, and my #1 goal is to finally conquer my diet soda addiction!
Go check out these other amazing bloggers that are also making healthier choices:
Pint Sized Baker – Paleo Pecans
It’s Yummi – Low Carb Pumpkin Pie Bars
Heather’s French Press – Breakfast Quinoa
Call Me PMc – Skinny Shrimp
The Haas Machine – Wednesday What We Ate
Sweet Twist Of Blogging – Week 2 Eating
Slap Dash Mom -Week 16 Update
Sweet Twist of Blogging – Week 2 Eating
Clarks Condensed – Changing Eating Habits For Good
Date Paste
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Pitted Dried Medjool Dates
- 1-2 Cups Filtered Water*
Optional Additions
- Pinch of Cinnamon
- Vanilla Paste
Instructions
- Double check that all of the pits have been removed from the dates. (I always find 1-2 pits in each batch)
- Transfer dates to a bowl and pour filtered water over them until dates are fully submerged.
- Allow dates to soak for at least 30 minutes. I've soaked for up to two hours.
- Remove dates from water and transfer to a food processor or blender. Reserve soaking liquid.
- Add 1 Tb of soaking liquid and begin to puree. How quickly the dates break down depends on the quality of your processor.
- Continue processing and adding soaking liquid by the tablespoon until you get your desired consistency.
- Also add the cinnamon or vanilla for a flavored date paste. (I prefer plain)
- I usually end up adding 3-4 Tb liquid to get my preferred consistency.
- Transfer date paste to a jar or sealed container and store in the refrigerator.
- Use within 2 weeks.
Notes
I use filtered water because I am adding the soaking water into the date paste. It is your choice to use filtered or non filtered.
I use the leftover soaking liquid in a smoothie within a day or so.
“To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” – Buddha
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Mel says
September 11, 2013 atYum date paste with soft cheese mmm now I’m hungry. I have a terrible coke zero habit I’ve been trying to kick I swear it’s a drug!
Nicole Harris says
September 11, 2013 atMmm, that does sound good. I agree, I had an easier time when I quit smoking and drinking! Diet Coke must be laced with drugs!
Shareba says
September 11, 2013 atThis looks good! I’ll have to try it when I get off of my allergy elimination diet.
Nicole Harris says
September 11, 2013 atThanks! Good luck on your elimination diet … I had to do that earlier this year and it sucked!
Shareba says
September 11, 2013 atDo you have any tips? It’s so bad right now. I’m only on day 3, and I just had a couple bites of cupcakes… sigh.
Nicole Harris says
September 11, 2013 atNo sorry, wish I could help but I wasn’t very good at it either. I started by eliminating processed food, then sugar, then dairy … then I just ended up fasting for days (which is very unlike me). After fasting I still had my issues so I then knew it wasn’t diet related. Food ended up not having anything to do with my problems. Good Luck!
Gillian @ the haas machine says
September 11, 2013 atI am/was/probably always will be a diet coke junkie. What really has helped me get through it is mineral water (either flavored or I even like plain). I love the bubbly treat of a good ol’ dc, so that has really helped me not feel deprived!
Nicole Harris says
September 11, 2013 atI go through phases. I’ll do really good and drink alternatives and then I will have a week that I just pound big gulps of Diet Coke! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Joey says
September 13, 2013 atHi, can you use this date paste in baked goods as a replacement for sugar?
Nicole Harris says
September 15, 2013 atHi Joey! I have never used date paste for baking. I tried to search for a good article that covered the date paste for sugar conversion, but I didn’t find one. It seems that people do use date paste in baking recipes but it is more of trial and error to get the measurements correct. Sorry I couldn’t be more help. Have a lovely week!
Heather @ French Press says
September 13, 2013 atnicole, this really is a great idea
Jaan L says
October 26, 2013 atI need this…I’m doing my best to cut out processed sugars, and being a sweet freak, I still crave sweets. This date paste will be perfect for those times. Thanks so much for sharing.
Nicole Harris says
October 26, 2013 atThis does work great to take care of those sweet cravings. Good Luck, Jaan!
Caroline says
January 22, 2015 atI’ve been making and using date puree for a couple of weeks now and have very happily replaced sugar in both my tea and coffee. It’s very difficult to tell the difference between a sugared coffee and a date puree’d coffee 🙂
Nicole Harris says
January 22, 2015 atI’m happy it is working for you!