Healthy Date Recipes

"I was inspired by the news that chocolate can be good for you," wrote reader Jennifer Sanders of Cambridge, Ontario. "Why not eat it for breakfast?" She shared her recipe for this heart-warming chocolaty hot cereal. If you are looking for a way to get your kids to start their day with a bowl of oatmeal, this is it. The microwave is convenient, but you can also cook the oatmeal on the stovetop following package directions. Top the cereal with milk or soymilk and sweeten with brown sugar or no-calorie sweetener, if desired.

The two-bite pecan tarts satisfy the sweet tooth with far less guilt than pecan pie.

Frances Van Vynckt, 78, combined dates, toasted rice cereal and coconut into an easy no-bake treat that won EatingWell's 2008 cookie contest.

A whole orange pulverized in the food processor gives these nutrient-rich date-pumpkin muffins a wonderful intense flavor.

These decadent pecan date bars are a bite-size alternative to holiday pecan pie.

Roasted beets and sweet dates, tangy oranges and juicy pomegranate seeds make this quinoa salad recipe festive. It pairs beautifully with turkey or roast pork.

Pungent mustard greens beg for other strong flavors for balance. Here walnut oil, walnuts, dates, bulgur and white-wine vinegar do the trick.

Sweet mangos and dates mixed with crunchy pumpkin seeds get a dose of heat from a prepared spice rub.

Try customizing this basic recipe with your favorite dried fruits and nuts.

Toasting the oats for this hearty muffin enhances their nutty flavor; orange zest contributes a citrus fragrance that plays well with the sweet dates.

Grown-up and sophisticated, this salad will make you happy you're not a finicky kid. For an even dressier spin, substitute boneless skinless duck breasts for the chicken.

Bittersweet chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa meld with a shot of fresh brewed coffee to give an ultra-rich flavor to this creamy French silk pie. A frothy meringue is the secret to lightening the brown sugar-sweetened filling.

Dates, oats and dark brown sugar turn into a decadent breakfast treat in this creamy porridge.

Coconut macaroons meet dark chocolate truffles in these little treats. Inside the snap of the dark chocolate shell lies the tender coconut-cocoa filling: a mix of naturally sweet dates, cocoa and coconut flour. Coconut flour is a healthy way to add decadent coconut flavor to this coconut-dark chocolate truffle recipe and other baked goods. It packs a whopping 5 grams of fiber per 2 tablespoons (with only 2 grams of total and saturated fat). Look for coconut flour near other gluten-free flours.

Financial advisor Linda Croley was inspired by childhood memories of a family treat when she created these peanut butter-date cookies. “I get a great feeling when I bite into these cookies and think of my family who are around me today, and those whose memories I'll always cherish,” says Croley. Once you try them, you may never make an ordinary peanut butter cookie again.

Sweet, sticky dates act as the glue for these no-cook energy balls. Perfect for hikes or during sports, this healthy snack travels well.

The aroma of baked apples filled with dried fruit and toasted nuts will brighten up any cold winter's day.

Trisha Kruse, an administrative assistant, created quick, easy, no-bake date-nut balls to fill that special niche in your holiday repertoire.

These easy, tasty applesauce-date muffins are rich in fiber, low in saturated fat and perfectly portable, making them great for breakfast or snack time.

Dates add a sweet counterpoint to these spicy gingerbread cookies.