Date-Cacao Ganache

a sweet spread AND homemade sport gel!

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Season: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Dosha: Pitta, Vata

Every week, there are a few kitchen tasks that never make the “to-do” list, but weigh just as heavily as anything else I hold myself accountable for. Making granola, making some kind of ‘snack’ situation we can use as both ride/adventure food and as something intentional and nourishing to nibble when we’re standing at the fridge deciding what to ACTUALLY eat. Making a big pot of broth, soaking and sprouting nuts (to make nut butter,) soaking beans (to cook them off too) and then, because we plow through this creamy, chocolatey, refined-sugar-free, infinitely versatile spread – I make a jar of this Date-Cacao Ganache. It’s the most mindful nutella out there! I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to share it, and all of it’s superpowers with you but it’s here at last. You’re welcome in advance.

 

Amazing dates

If you’ve been following along for a bit here, you know that we use a LOT of dates in this house. I love buying them from this favorite farm in Southern California, and I do so en masse on a monthly basis. And then, I eat them stuffed with ghee and walnuts before breakfast, cook them into porridge, use them to sweeten baked goods like this and this eat them as fuel for rides/runs and hikes, and use them as a basis for mindful treats like this, these and these. The list goes on. The reason is that I love them so much but also, they’re an incredibly powerful food in Ayurvedic medicine. Dates are cooling and soothing in nature, which means they help to balance digestion, reduce inflammation, nourish the deep tissues, bolster hemoglobin production and boost energy levels. Because of the fiber content in dates, we upload them into the system in moderation instead of a big sweet of sugar spike. Dates are one of the primary foods we use in Ayurvedic medicine to rebuild the matchbox of vitality that I find to be so often burned out in my clients; adding a date shake to your routine, or a swipe of this Date-Cacao Ganache is enough to start helping you feel like the superhero you are again, re-energizing your body to take on your goals and enjoy optimal health, rather than depletion.

What can this ganache DO?

So what do you do with a jar of ganache made with dates? What DON’T you do?!

Here are just a few of the things I love doing with this smarter substitute for Nutella:

A sweet homemade sport gel?

YES – this Date-Cacao Ganache is a really excellent alternative to packaged sport gels for longer, endurance efforts where your body needs a substantial supply of carbohydrates, and can handle a bit of fiber. Take note: one medjool date contains about 1g of fiber. Every body, and every athlete’s preferences will be different, so be sure to test date ganache as a sport fuel before adding it to your nutrition plan for an upcoming race. To make it portable, simple prepare the ganache to your liking then load it into a reusable gel squeeze flask.

There are several reasons that this homemade sport gel is so incredible to use. Firstly, dates are such an exceptional endurance food, offering a sustained release of carbohydrates to keep your body running at peak for longer. They also contain incredible amounts of potassium which helps to balance and maintain electrolyte balance. but also because this method is a great delivery system for digestive spices and anti-inflammatory cacao. Together, these can settle the stomach, bioenergetically cool the body, keep digestion high AND fueling efficient and with unrefined carbohydrate sources.

To make it, simply prepare the recipe as indicated below, tweaking to include or omit the spices as you wish (keeping in mind that the spices are beneficial for keeping digestion high during activity, but may take a bit of getting used to — especially if you’re used to flavorless packaged products, very sweet sport nutrition products, or if you’re learning to love spices!) Then, add warm water to dilute and thin the ganache to your preferred texture. I find that about 1/4 cup of water is sufficient for a squeezable consistency.

Recovery ganache?

Even if you aren’t using this ganache as a sport fuel, it’s an incredible recovery partner. For glycogen replacement, mineralization, electrolyte balance, and as an important source of B-vitamins that help to convert sugars into energy, dates kinda can’t be beat.

This Date-Cacao Ganache

…is such an incredible addition to your pantry. No matter what you use it for, you’ll never be sorry to have a jar at the ready. There are few things I cook or eat that feel so smart, so decadent, and so special; slathering a piece of fresh bread with this spread is completely divine, and the definition of indulgent self-care in my mind, only in the realization that what I’m putting into my body is so incredibly potent, powerful AND delicious.

I include notes below on sourcing dates, tweaking the recipe for different purposes, and even how to include spices and other “boosts” that make it an even more sneaky-but-sweet ingredient.

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