3 Easy Ayurvedic Date Recipes - Dessert or Snack!

3 Simple Ayurvedic Date Recipes 

Explore three easy Ayurvedic recipes that can be created from Medjool dates as a snack, a dessert, or a meal. These include: Tahini Stuffed Date Boats, Pecan Pie Bites and Ayurvedic Date Shakes!

Dates are long revered as an Ayurvedic superfood. They are high in antioxidants and said to nourish our “ojas,” our immune boosting life force. Considered Sattvic in nature, dates make a delicious, tonifying sweet that is energetically grounding and promotes purity and peace of mind.

Research suggests dates boast many health benefits. Ayurvedically speaking, they help combat vata imbalances such as anxiety, stress, overwhelm, and lack of grounding. 

Benefits include:

• High in antioxidants such as polyphenols, carotenoids and lignans which manage risk of chronic disease

• Helps reduce inflammation

• Good source of fiber 

• Boosts brain health

• Contains bone-friendly minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassioum 

Sources: Healthline, BBC Good Food

It is no surprise that our modern ways of living and a pervasive culture of convenience can make it easy to grab sweets that lack substance, nutrition or sustained energy. 
The following three recipes are quick, easy and nourish the doshas with more physical and emotional vitality. Hope you enjoy! 

Tahini Stuffed Dates aka Date Boats!

Serves: 2 {makes 10 boats}

Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients

•  5 Dates split with pits removed

• 1-2 Tablespoon of Tahini

• 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

• 1 cap full of Almond Extract or ½ teaspoon

• Almonds (or Walnuts or Pecans)
  
  
  

How to make it

1. Cut dates in half and remove pits

2. In a small bowl mix together the tahini, vanilla extract and maple syrup. Consistency is to your preference. For a less gritty texture, add a little bit of water or oil/ghee. 

3. Spoon small amounts into the center of each date

4. Top with an almond (preferably blanched or with skin removed). 

5. Enjoy!
   
   
   

Vata: Mix a dab of ghee into your creation for extra grounding.

Pitta: Dust with coconut flakes on each date boat

Kapha: Enjoy in moderation, this is sweet, heavy and grounding. Experiment with walnuts. 

Pecan Pie Bite

Time: 1 Minute

This is my favorite dessert snack hack. I love these pecan pie bites when I’m out on a day of hiking, have a sweet tooth or need a little pick me up in the afternoon energy slump. It’s simple, takes no time, and really does taste like a pecan pie! 

Ingredients

• Dates

• Pecans

• Imagination :) 

How to make it

1. Cut dates in half and remove pits

2. Put a pecan in the center of a halved date

3. Bite in and enjoy! 
   
   
   

Ayurvedic Almond Date Shake

Serves: 2

Time: 5 minutes + optional soaking overnight

Kitchen tools: Blender / vitamix / magic bullet

The almond date shake is a classic go-to for a grounding yet energizing ojas building tonic. Ideal when the nervous system needs a reboot. This recipe is a *slight* adaptation of Dr. Lad’s Date + Almond Shake.

Ingredients

• 6 dates

• 10 almonds

• 1 cup of milk of choice warmed (I usually go oat)

• Splash or cap full of vanilla extract

• Pinch of cardamom

• Pinch of cinnamon

Prep

Soak the dates in 1-2 cups of water overnight (save the date water, you’ll use this!)

Soak 10 almonds overnight in separate dish. After soaking pinch the skins off.

Note: you can expedite or skip this prep by putting the dates and almonds in hot water for a few minutes.

How to Make It

1. In a blender add the soaked dates, date water, almonds with skins removed, vanilla, cardamom and cinnamon.

2. Warm the milk on medium heat in a pan

3. Pour milk into blender

4. Blend all ingredients

5. Serve and enjoy!

For an extra immunity boost: I love to add the adaptogen ashwagandha, which is boasts many benefits which include improved stress response, elevated mood and concentration, increased stamina said to be the vitality of horse.

Paavani Ayurveda makes a great ashwagandha supplement here. You can get 10% off your order with my affiliate code: GABY10. They also have a great write-up of the benefits on their blog.

Ayurvedic Gatorade

I first learned of this recipe when I was at the Ayurvedic Institute taking a week-long intensive with Dr. Lad. I was in the arid, dry desert of Albuquerque New Mexico. Vata was craving hydration and replenishment, and my pitta wanted to cool down from the summer heat. Below is a great recipe to replenish your hydration and restock electrolytes.

Serves: 1

Time: 5 minute preparation

Ingredients

• 32 oz (or 4 cups) of room temperature water

• Juice from 1 lime

• Pinch of Himalayan Sea Salt

• 1-2 Teaspoons of jaggery, maple syrup or raw sugar

Directions

1. If you are using maple syrup, simply mix it all together and enjoy!

2. If you are using jaggery or raw sugar, you will need to heat the water so the sugar will dilute. Wait for the water to cool back to room temperature and then enjoy!

Modify for your Dosha

Vata: Be gracious with the sweet taste. This is grounding for Vata Dosha.

Pitta: Add a sprig of mint leaves to invite extra cooling.

Kapha: Lay low on the sugar. Add a pinch of cayenne to warm it up.