The topic of sweetener is an important one when it comes to raw food. With a lot of options on the shelf, which one do you choose and how do you know if it’s really raw? The answer is simple – make it yourself! If there’s one recipe other than AtV Sour Cream that I always have in my refrigerator, it’s Date Paste. Finding its way into just about every recipe from savory to sweet, main courses and smoothies, Date Paste is, without a doubt, my personal favorite sweetener of choice.

Let’s talk about Medjool Dates:

• They are one of the largest and most tender Dates you will find. They’re also the sweetest of the Date family, with flavor notes similar to Brown Sugar and Vanilla.
• They can often be purchased in bulk, found in the produce section of your grocery store.
• When stored as a whole Date, they will last for a very long time – just remember to keep them in your refrigerator.
• Always soak your Dates before using them in recipes.
• Soak them in warm or cold water until they are soft enough to remove the pit by hand (I usually soak my dates anywhere from 30 minutes up to 2 hours).

Can you substitute another type of Date when making Date Paste?

There are a lot of Dates out there, but the closest in taste and texture to the Medjool is the Black Sphinx Date. They are slightly smaller than the Medjool, but still very sweet and tender.

One Last Helpful Hint:

Make your Date Paste in bulk. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Store your Date Paste in a ziplock baggy, laying it flat in your freezer. Freezing it flat will enable you to break off a small or large piece as you need it. This is a great way to get your kitchen raw food ready. The more food prep you do in advance, the better you eat!

I’m going show you how to make this very important staple in two different ways. The first way will be with a Food Processor, which is how I always make it.

The second way is man powered, with a Mortar & Pestle. All you need is patience and some gusto!

Date Paste with a Food Processor
This recipe yields roughly 2 cups of Date Paste. If you think this may be too much then you can freeze half of the batch.

Step 1: Prepping your Dates:

• Soak 40 Medjool Dates in Warm Water until your Dates are tender/soft.
• Remove your Dates from the soaking water
• Remove the seeds by hand – make sure to get all of them!

Step 2: Making your Date Paste

1. Combine the following into your food processor:

• All of the Dates from Step 1
• 2 Tbsp Water

2. Puree!

Depending on how large your food processor is,  you may need to stop processing in intervals to scrape down the sides to remove it all – don’t let this discourage you.

Puree your Dates until they have become a thick whipped and creamy texture. Place your date paste in an air tight container and store in the fridge or freezer.

Date Paste with a Mortar & Pestle
This is the most efficient way to make Date Paste if you only need a small amount OR  if you don’t have a food processor. You won’t get it as creamy and whipped as you will with a processor, but you will still have the same wonderful flavor and creamy consistency. Get your muscles ready!
Step 1: Prepping your Dates:

• Soak your Medjool Dates in Warm Water until your Dates are tender/soft
• Remove your Dates from the soaking water
• Remove the seeds by Hand – make sure to get all of them!

Step 2: Making your Date Paste with your Mortar & Pestle

• Put 3 Dates into your Mortar with 1/2 tsp of Water
• Proceed to mash/grindpPound your Dates with your pestle until they have become a paste. This could anywhere up to 3 minutes.

If you have a small mortar like I do, then I recommend making Date Paste with no more than 3 to 4 Dates at a time. Just remember: No more than 1/2 tsp of water for every 3 Dates.

Your finished product should look something like this:

Try this: Add Vanilla Bean to your Date Paste before Processing. You can also add fresh Lemon Juice in place of water for a tangy sweetener.