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Sunday Snapshots: Date Syrup and Clementines

November 10, 2013 by Nancy Lopez-McHugh 10 Comments

Date Syrup Over Clementines by @SpicieFoodie | #dates #datesyrup #clementines #snack #vegan

I’ve never been much of a snacker, which I think has been a good thing for my waistline, I much preferred eating 3 sensible meals a day. Over the past 6 months I’ve had to change that and introduce snacks into my daily routine to better control some health issues I’ve been having. Before on the rare occasion that I did snack my choices weren’t always the best; it usually involved a piece of bread with some sort of spread. Now my snacks usually consist of fruit or veggies and/or some sort of lean protein. Since I’m eating more during the day it is very important to stick to healthy choices that aren’t going to either make me have low-blood sugar crashes or gain weight. This clementine and date syrup snack fits my requirements perfectly.

We all know how delicious clementines (a variety of mandarin oranges) taste: they are juicy, (generally) sweet and citrusy. Though delicious, this clementine needed a little bit more sweetness so that’s where the date syrup came in.

Date Syrup Over Clementines by @SpicieFoodie | #dates #datesyrup #clementines #snack #vegan

Date syrup is a 100% natural sweetener made by soaking and pureeing dates, sometimes water is also added. This deeply coloured syrup is, of course, vegan and free of preservatives and added sugar or starches — it’s truly a great product. Date syrup can be used just like any other sweetener or syrup. It goes great over fruit, oatmeal, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, pancakes, crepes, and waffles. I also love to add it to my tea, coffee and smoothies. You can also mix it into cake batters and cookie dough, or with other seasonings to use as a salad dressing or marinade. The possibilities are endless.

The smell is the same as dates and the taste is a deeply sweet and intense date flavour. The thick taste and colour really reminds me of black strap molasses — except this syrup is sweeter. Because of how intensely sweet date syrup is, you’ll need much less than other sweeteners.

Date Syrup Over Clementines by @SpicieFoodie | #dates #datesyrup #clementines #snack #vegan

Both date syrup and clementines are fruits and the sugars in both is fructose. Fructose has a low glycemic index, which means that the sugar in dates and clementines releases slowly into our bodies and we won’t suffer from sudden blood-sugar crashes. (Read more here) I can personally tell you that even though this was a sweet snack I didn’t have that yucky feeling we sometimes get after eating too much sugar; no crash for me! (I also ate a small amount of almonds to add protein to my snack.)

Thankfully my savory-spicy tooth is much stronger than my sweet tooth, so sweet snacks like these are a rare occasion for me. I don’t often use sugar, syrups or honey when I cook, but lately date syrup has been my number one sweetener choice. I purchased my bottle from a local health food store but I also found a different brand online here, if you’re interested. If you have the opportunity to try date syrup I hope you seize it. Enjoy!

Date Syrup Over Clementines by @SpicieFoodie | #dates #datesyrup #clementines #snack #vegan

 

Have any of you ever tasted or cooked with date syrup? Please share how you like to incorporate it into your cooking or baking.

 
 

Yummy Pics: A Food Blogger's Guide to Better Photos, Photography eBook by Spicie Foodie

 

Filed Under: Desserts-Sweets, Fruits, Snacks, Sunday Snapshots

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Comments

  1. Rosa says

    November 10, 2013 at 11:01

    Wonderful clicks!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  2. Nina says

    November 10, 2013 at 13:14

    I work in a health food store and I have never tasted date syrup before. But we have that, so now I have to try! It look delicious!! :)

    Btw, Im new to your site, and I have to say I love every recipe presented here. One of the better sites Ive seen! So many things I have to try! Looks really healthy and hearty as well. I will make something with beluga lentils later inspired from another recipe of yours :)

    Reply
  3. Victoria of Flavors of the Sun says

    November 10, 2013 at 15:33

    I adore date syrup and bring it back from Morocco each year. Have you ever tried jalab–the date syrup with rose water? I asked a local food importer to get me some from Lebanon, as I just love it. Makes a great drink. Lovely post, Nancy.

    Reply
  4. yummychunklet says

    November 10, 2013 at 18:14

    Yummy way to jazz up fruit slices!

    Reply
  5. Ash-foodfashionparty says

    November 10, 2013 at 18:47

    I love date syrup. I haven’t bought any from the stores. We make our own for our savory dishes, love it. I think they have such a nice natural sweetness to it, perfect in savory and sweet dishes.

    Reply
  6. john@kitchenriffs says

    November 10, 2013 at 19:01

    We’re just starting to see decent clementines in the store now. My favorite fruit at this time of the year! Love the date syrup – terrific idea. Thanks.

    Reply
  7. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

    November 12, 2013 at 22:42

    I’ve never tried date syrup before, I will have to keep an eye out for it! Wonderful snack idea!

    Reply
  8. mjskit says

    November 13, 2013 at 04:09

    Absolutely gorgeous! I’ve never used date syrup before, and now I’m quite curious. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  9. rika@vm says

    November 13, 2013 at 16:40

    While in Argentina, we’ve been eating 1-2 big meals and a snack a day due to limited ingredients and frequent inflation. Speaking of clementines, I love them in my juice blends – so juicy, sweet and citrusy, too! What an interesting combination – date syrup and clementines – love it! I would love to use them on pancakes or waffles for breakfast!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Banana and Hemp Pancakes Topped with Blueberries and Date Syrup | #MeatlessMonday Breakfast | Wheat, Grain and Gluten Free Recipe says:
    April 21, 2014 at 20:15

    […] the sweetness from the banana you won’t really need a syrup, I occasionally still like to use date syrup but it is up to you. The texture is smooth and lightly airy, but they won’t be as thick and […]

    Reply

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