One of the bigger challenges of a whole foods plant based way of eating is how to introduce some sweetness into recipes without refined sugar. Now some of the experts will say that a small amount of refined sugar is not the end of the world and others say that can cause endothelial damage and should be strenuously avoided. For me, processed sugar is a hugely addictive substance that leads to compulsive overeating very quickly so I am trying to avoid it entirely if I can.
This is where a magical substance I like to call Date Goo comes into play. Dates are one of the sweetest fruits out there consisting of nearly all sugar. Still they are packed with tons of fiber and micro-nutrients that make them relatively healthy. Best of all they whip up really easily into a convenient gel that will keep in the fridge. Dr. Greger calls this date syrup in his recipe but it has more of the consistency of a curd. Since I don’t like the buttery/eggy connotations of curd, I have renamed it Date Goo.
It is ridiculously easy to make, moreso if you have a VitaMix or other high powered blender, an essential tool for convenient WFPB home cooking. Here’s how:
Make about 2 cups
40 Deglet Noor dates (the smaller, sweeter variety)
Enough water to cover the dates.
Add dates and water to blender. If you are not using a high-powered blender, use boiling water and soak the dates for 15-30 minutes. Blend at increasingly high speeds until you get it to a whipped consistency.
The goo should keep in the fridge for a couple weeks. Use in any recipe that calls for sugar and is not entirely dry. It does really well in batters, sauces, and dressings. You may have to reduce liquids a bit if you are baking. You can also use it as you would apple butter, spread on an Ezekiel English muffin with some tahini would be a decadent treat, or so I have heard.
Happy eating!