Maria MarloweBig taste can come in small packages. Try an almond butter date caramel – with its salty sweetness – and those flavors will meld into a delicious treat.
So go ahead – pop one of these sweet and salty almond butter date caramels out of the freezer next time you want something sweet. They’re made with simple ingredients. And since they are primarily sweetened with fruit, both your taste buds and waistline will thank you.
Almond Butter Date Caramel Benefits
Almonds / Almond Butter: Almonds are an excellent source of Vitamin E, which supports skin, eye, cardiac, and immune system health. Additionally, as a great source of plant-based protein and healthy fat, they help keep you satiated, and may even help you lose more weight.
Dates: Full of minerals and fiber, dates support the digestive system. They are excellent choice to sweeten desserts over refined sugar, as they have a lower glycemic load.
Dark Chocolate: The primary issue with chocolate is the amount of sugar most typical chocolate bars contains. But, if you choose one with a high cocoa/cacao content (over 85%) and one sweetened with dates, monk fruit, or stevia, you can avoid refined sugar. Coconut sugar is another better option, as has a lower glycemic load than regular white sugar.
Are You Ready??
Sweet & Salty Almond Butter Date Caramel Recipe
Ingredients:
DATE CARAMEL
15 dates, pitted, soaked in hot water 10-15 minutes.
½ tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
BANANA ALMOND CENTER
2 medium bananas, peeled
1/3 cup organic almond butter
TOPPING
4.5 oz. dark chocolate
almonds, chopped finely
Course ground pink salt
Instructions:
First, make the date caramel. To a bullet blender, add 2 teaspoons of the date soaking water plus the dates (you can drain the rest of the water). Add the vanilla and salt, too. Blend until a paste forms. Set aside.
Slice bananas into 1/4 inch – thick slices, and lay flat on a small, parchment lined baking sheet. To each slice, add a dollop of almond butter (about 1/2 teaspoon) to cover the top. Then add a scoop of the date caramel (about 1/2-1 tsp).
Once all bananas slices are topped, place the sheet in the freezer for 1 hour.
A few minutes before you’re ready to take the banana slices out of the freezer, heat a double boiler and melt the chocolate.
Remove the slices from the the freezer, and carefully dip each into the chocolate and coat completely. Tap off excess, and return to the baking sheet.
Immediately sprinkle with chopped almonds and salt, before the chocolate hardens. Repeat with remaining slices.
Put in the freezer to set another hour.
When ready to serve, let sit room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
When you’re ready to try an Almond Butter Date Caramel, you can also find the printable recipe here.
About the Author: Maria Marlowe is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who has helped thousands of people improve their health by optimizing their diet. She has created meal plans and programs to help you lose weight, clear up acne, and spend less time in the kitchen yet still eat healthy.
She has been featured in Vogue, The New York Times, NBC, Well + Good, and more. Her first book, The Real Food Grocery Guide, will teach you how to eat healthy without going broke.
Check out her site, www.mariamarlowe.com, or follow her on Instagram @MariaMarlowe and Facebook for more healthy recipes.