Dark chocolate brazil nut stuffed dates
A four-ingredient treat that tastes like a splurge and works like a supplement.
Ingredients
Makes 2 stuffed dates
- 2 organic Medjool dates
- Organic bitter dark chocolate (the higher the cacao, the better), melted
- A drizzle of organic maple syrup
- 2 brazil nuts (one per date)
- A pinch of high quality finishing salt (flaky sea salt is lovely here)
Instructions
- Slice each date lengthwise down the middle and gently remove the pit. Do not cut all the way through, you want a little pocket, not two halves.
- Melt the dark chocolate slowly, either over a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between each.
- Stir a little maple syrup into the melted chocolate until it thickens into a soft, spreadable paste.
- Press the chocolate paste into the opening of each date.
- Nestle a brazil nut into the center, then use your fingers to press the chocolate up and around the nut so it is tucked fully inside.
- Finish with a pinch of flaky salt on top.
- Let them set for a few minutes (the fridge speeds this up), then enjoy.
Why this little treat earns its place
Brazil nuts are the richest whole-food source of selenium, a mineral your thyroid depends on to convert and regulate its hormones and to protect itself from everyday oxidative stress. Just two a day is typically enough to cover your body's selenium needs, which is exactly why two is the number worth remembering (this is one nutrient where the right amount matters more than more). Around it, the rest of the recipe pulls its weight too: high-cacao dark chocolate brings flavanols and magnesium, Medjool dates add fiber and potassium along with their natural caramel sweetness, maple syrup steps in as a less-refined sweetener with a few trace minerals, and a touch of good salt ties it all together. It is proof you do not have to give up dessert to eat well. Sometimes the sweetest thing on your plate is also the most nourishing.