Food for the gods Recipe
“This food for the gods recipe uses the highly nutritious dates and fiber-rich walnuts that make this dessert heavenly; they are also great giveaways on any occasion.”
Eid mubarak!
Which means “blessed feast/ festival” in Arabic. This is a common greeting you will hear during Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan. The country usually gives a three-day holiday to celebrate. To observe it, I made this food for the gods recipe that uses dates. This fruit is plentiful in this beautiful country and they are among the top 10 date-producing countries in the world.
fasting and the healthy date fruit
During Ramadan (a month of fasting), Muslims begin their fast from sunrise to sunset. Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast and it starts by eating dates as they believe that Prophet Mohammed broke his fast with dates and water. Dates have been a part this country’s culture and they even hold an annual event just for this fruit, the Liwa Dates festival.
Dates are immediate source of natural energy, high in calories and natural sugars that help the body restore blood sugar levels after a day of fasting. They contain several vitamins and minerals, in addition to fiber and antioxidants such as flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acid that may help prevent the development of certain chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Whew, that’s a lot coming from this small fruit.
sweet dates…
You probably haven’t seen or tasted it before because it is not a native fruit in the Philippines. To be honest, I have never eaten a date until I got here. At first, I don’t really like it but eventually learned to appreciate it. It’s not that bad after all, especially when you understand the health benefits of this fruit.
Dates when ripe are soft, chewy, sweet and brown/amber in color. And there are various types out there and Medjool is the most commonly consumed varieties. They are also sweet and crunchy when they are yellow in color and are starting to ripen. I usually eat these when I am hungry or after having a meal to remove any after-taste of any food. You can eat at least 2-3 dates a day to get the nutrients from this fruit.
fiber-rich walnuts…
You may have noticed right now that I usually add in walnuts in most of my baking recipes. The reason is that it goes well with any baked goodies. It doesn’t have a strong flavor that could overpower other ingredients but it complements the food really good. Dates may have given the spotlight here, but walnuts have also its superb nutrition too that cannot be underestimated. These nuts are rich in heart-healthy fats (omega-3) and high in antioxidants. Walnuts are made up of 65% fat and about 15% of protein. They’re low in carbs — most of which consist of fiber.
what does food for the gods taste like?
This food for the gods recipe is a sweet, chewy and crunchy dessert that is perfect for your coffee or tea. The sweetness of dates and the bitter crunch of the walnuts are excellent combination. The amount of sugar is adjusted because I want the calories to be as low as possible.
I’ve tasted this sweet a long time ago but never had it again until I made this one. Maybe it is reserved for special occasions only. With that being said, you can make this and give it as a present during holidays or special events as some people usually don’t get to taste this dessert too often.
Make this food for the gods recipe in your next snack plan and share the heavenly taste with your family and friends.
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and tell me how you liked it in the comments section below; I love hearing from you! Happy tummy!
Food for the gods Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Mixing bowls (medium and large)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Hand mixer (if available) or whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Baking pan (7"x11")
- Baking paper
Ingredients
- 1 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
- Prepare the baking pan by greasing and lining a baking paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Take ¼ cup of flour mixture and coat the dates. Coating the dates will separate from each other and combine in the mixture properly.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, and beat well after every addition. Slowly put in flour mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, add dates and walnuts and fold in until completely combined.
- Transfer mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Lessen the heat to 300 °F (150 °C) and bake for another 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool on wire rack for around 20 minutes and cut into bars.
- These goodies can be stored in an air-tight container and will last for 3-4 days in room temperature.
- If giving as a gift, wrap individually with colored cellophane wrapper or container with ribbons.
- Share and enjoy!
Video
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