“I’m a movement by myself, but I’m a force when we’re together,” said the date to the almond. These two nutritional warriors are fabulous on their own, but combined, they satisfy any craving you may have. Yes, I just quoted Ne-yo, and yes I’m humiliated.
My splendid ex-wife, Lisa, laughs when I tell her it’s time for my afternoon snack. So what if I’m a giant toddler? If my days were longer, I’d add a nap, too. I’m happily forced to be creative with my in-between meal bites since I no longer have a teacher to pour me grape juice and slide me some graham crackers.
Y’all know how I feel about supplements, shakes and bars. I always prefer to sponge my nutrients from whole foods. You’ve also heard me say “Instead of juicing, just eat the fruits and vegetables.” While I stand behind by those premises, I also endorse experimentation. Today’s experiment, ground almonds and dates, will become a regular in my refreshment rotation.
Let’s discuss my two ingredients, and then I’ll tell you how to get to the finish line.
Almonds are among the world’s most nutritionally dense foods. From whfoods.com:
Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, the same type of health-promoting fats as are found in olive oil, which have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease. Five large human epidemiological studies, including the Nurses Health Study, the Iowa Health Study, the Adventist Health Study and the Physicians Health Study, all found that nut consumption is linked to a lower risk for heart disease.
We don’t have to stop there. We know that because of the high content of quality fat in almonds, we tend to feel satisfied after eating them. From SFGate:
The nuts make it easier to stick with the diet because they have a high satiety value, meaning they are very filling, according to a September 2008 article published in “The Journal of Nutrition.” Another article, published in the “British Journal of Nutrition” in 2007, notes that the high satiety value of almonds may be due to a combination of factors, including their fiber and protein contents, crunchy texture, flavor and micronutrient content.
Speaking of satiety, sometimes an injection of sweet hits the spot. Dates are nature’s candy and the combo of their vitamin richness combined with the protein in the almonds makes for a solid compliment to our lifting or fitness routine. From organicfacts.net:
The massive health benefits of dates have made them one of the best ingredients for muscle development. People consume dates in several ways, such as mixing the paste of the dates with milk, yogurt or with bread or butter to make them even more delicious. The paste is beneficial for both adults and children, especially during a time of recovery from injury or illness.
Now that we agree that we dig the combination of ingredients, let’s throw a small handful of almonds and three pitted dates in this spice grinder (I also use this contraption to coarsely break up my coffee beans), and see what happens. No need to create a paste, but run it just enough to pulverize the mixture into a salt/pepper like consistency.
The result is a crumbly, sugary spoonful of delectability. If the end product was in a bowl at a fancy restaurant drizzled with some foo foo liquid, they’d push it for fourteen bucks. I’m not exaggerating; you’ll end up with 4 solid bites of bliss.
You’ll re-enter your day knowing you blessed your system and your palate simultaneously, one of the missions of our blog.
Break out the cots, sheets and special blankets. It’s naptime.
Kap
Duane says
Oh Sweet Thursday, one day closer to the weekend. Add a little ground cinnamon and nutmeg and you’ll nap like a baby!
Gabe Kapler says
Like that idea. Will be incorporating. Thanks, Duane.
Ryan Ross says
Hi Gabe
I am beginning to read the book Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter. The book seems a little extreme for whole grain consumption however it provides a lot of evidence in the authors research. There are many take aways so far from the book and it seems like your nutritional philosophy is similar to this book. In other words, limit your sugar intake and focus your diet around healthy fats and a lot of protein that is in its natural form. I was wondering your take on it (if you have read it) or the thesis of the book; consumption of carbs, wheat, and sugar are directly linked to brain disease. A bonus of reading the book are some of the great recipes in the back of it. One of them includes an “Oatless Oatmeal” that I tried yesterday and loved it, nutritionally dense and very filling. It includes almonds, walnuts, eggs, all spice, almond butter, almond milk, flaxseed, and pumpkin seeds that you grind in a blender together. The date and almond blend directly reminded me of it. Thanks again for all the great tips and thoughts.
Cheers,
Ryan
Shana says
I love dates and almonds. I am very blessed to live in San Diego and have a farmers market literally outside my front door every Saturday morning. I get the best fresh dates there. They just melt in your mouth. Anyhow, I recently found this recipe for kale-nola (granola made with kale, not oats) and it is unreal. Here is the link. Enjoy! http://fabfitfun.com/blueberry-almond-kale-nola-recipe
Gabe Kapler says
Shana, I must admit, granola sans oats sounds nutty (see what I did?). I’m down to give it a shot, though. Thanks for sharing.
Christine says
Almonds are great for women because they (along with apples and yams) have the highest naturally occurring amount of estrogen support in a food. They are a delicious, natural way to approach balancing hormonal levels. I LOVE dates and can’t wait to combine!! Thanks for another great post!! Peace!
Gabe Kapler says
Thanks for dropping knowledge on the readers, Christine.
kbeyazdancer says
Don’t be humiliated about using the Ne-you lyrics. I like your taste in music.
I love Almonds and I often use them to make my own homemade bars and they are great with my oats. I have also found that throwing in Dates and some cinnamon (instead of the almonds) makes for a great breakfast.
I think tomorrow I will try the two of these and then I’ll get my snuggie ready.
Thanks again love!
-Kelebek
Gabe Kapler says
Perfect. Can’t say I’m a Ne-Yo fan, frankly. More of a Miles Davis man, myself. Take care and thanks for consistently adding to the discussion.
Kbeyazdancer says
Miles Davis is great!
And it is my pleasure to contribute love.
Duane says
Miles Davis Sketches of Spain. Gotta love his style
kbeyazdancer says
My dad turned me on to Miles Davis. Helped me get through long nights in the lab during Graduate school.
curtis99802 says
Mmmmm! Gonna have to try this!
Gabe Kapler says
You won’t be disappointed, Curtis. Promise.
Todd says
Hi Kap. Great article on this combination. In a similar vein, I was wondering if you could do some research on the benefits of eating the combination of honey and cinnamon. I remember reading a wonderful article about the many health and wellness benefits of eating this combination of foods, and it amazed me what it does for the immune system and the overall health of your body. Thanks for the great article!
dbreer23 says
I love the almond date cookies that my mother-in-law makes during the holidays. Gonna have to try this recipe – seems like even I can’t eff it up. Thanks, Kap!
– Dan
Mike says
How do we feel about dried figs?