I’ve been very serious about the Whole Foods 28-Day Challenge up until this past weekend. No meat, dairy, oil or refined sugar. But, really? I don’t think the people who designed this diet had ever had peanut butter crème brulee from Upper West in Santa Monica . Let me say that again Peanut Butter Crème Brulee. It was only a few bites, but it was still cheating. I felt bad and had a bit of a stomach ache later that night.
I cheated again when I made gluten-free cornmeal pancakes from the New York Times. The recipe called for milk, but I used coconut milk, which was delightful. My diet says no oil but I felt bad torturing my husband who already has Celiac Disease, with dry pancakes. So I added canola oil. And then I cooked the pancakes in butter. Bad, I know, but so good.
The not having sugar part of the diet is good and bad. Good because I’ve cut down on sugar tremendously, but bad because I’m constantly looking for sugar substitutes like this date paste.
Date paste can be used to sweeten muffins and candy or as a substitute for honey or jelly on a peanut butter sandwich.
Date paste is very simple to make. You just toss a cup of fresh, pitted Medjool dates in a food processor along with 1/4 cup of water and mix until the paste is smooth. If you want it to be thinner, add more water. After it’s done, store in the refrigerator where it can last a little more than a week.