Easy Ricotta Stuffed Dates

Easy Ricotta Stuffed Dates

There’s no point in denying it: dates are sweet and delicious.  The fact is that 70% of a date’s weight comes from natural sugars. That being said, dates, which have often been referred to as “nature’s candy,” are still one of the healthiest foods you can eat and one of the best to provide you with a quick energy boost.  They are true nutritional powerhouses, containing dietary fiber and essential antioxidants. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

Ingredients:

6 Medjool dates
6 walnut halves
¼ cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons walnuts finely chopped
orange zest to garnish
Directions
To prepare the dates, use a sharp knife to slit lengthwise down the center and remove the pit. 

Gently press a walnut half in the center of each date. Repeat with the rest of the dates.

Cover the walnut with a heaping teaspoon of fresh ricotta cheese. Repeat with the rest of the dates.

Top the ricotta with finely chopped walnuts. To do so, press the ricotta-stuffed dates, one at a time, into the finely chopped walnuts and gently roll so that the ricotta cheese is completely coated with the nuts. 
Garnish with grated orange zest and enjoy!

Variations:

This recipe is versatile and can be modified in a variety of ways. For example, you can use different kinds of nuts or dried fruits.