Date Surprises: A Quick and Easy Ayurvedic Dessert

Dessert doesn’t get any easier than these sweet, gooey, crunchy date surprises. Not only are they quick and simple, but they’re Ayurveda approved, meaning they’re nourishing, wholesome, sattvic (promoting purity), and tridoshic (appropriate for all body types, with a little modification).

I like to serve these date surprises at the end of a dinner party. They satisfy a sweet tooth but don’t discount the wholesomeness of the meal just eaten. They also make a great snack for vata and pitta types.

They calm and nourish vata, and satisfy quick-metabolizing pitta.

Only two ingredients are needed in this recipe: dates and nuts.

Step 1                

Use soft, fresh Medjool dates. They’re plump and tender and while they might be wrinkled, they shouldn’t be hard. I find Deglet Noor dates to be a little too firm for this dessert.

Dates are good for vata and pitta types, but too heavy and sweet for kapha types. Kaphas can substitute dried figs.

1. Run a knife down the length of each date on one side only, and take out the seed. If you’re using figs, cut off the stem and slice the fig open on one side.
2. Stuff a brazil nut or a couple of cashews into the date. Close the date most of the way so a little bit of nut is peeping through.

Step 2

That’s it! All nuts are good for vata types, so they can take their pick of brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, or walnuts. Combining nuts with dried fruit helps with vata-type digestion. Vatas with especially troublesome digestion can use nuts that have been soaked overnight in water, which helps with digestibility. 

Pitta types can substitute soaked and peeled almonds and kapha types can substitute walnuts.

Choose These Combinations for Your Dosha Type:

• Vata types: dates + any nut
• Pitta types: dates + soaked and peeled almonds
• Kapha types: figs + walnuts

Reprinted with permission from True Ayurveda/Julie Bernier.

Julie Bernier teaches women the art of self-care so that they feel their healthiest and happiest in their own unique bodies. This holistic approach to individualized wellness is rooted in the ancient Indian knowledge of Ayurveda: a complete medical science and way of life which explains that our wellbeing blossoms when we align ourselves with nature. Julie is a Registered Ayurvedic Practitioner and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist with the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) as well as a Certified Massage Therapist. She studied each of these modalities in the US and straight from the source in India. Julie has been highlighted in Sakara Life, Jenni Kayne’s Rip & Tan, WMNJournal, and Vogue.