Fresh Dates Stuffed with Rosemary Mascarpone and Walnuts Recipe

Dates — a very sweet fruit that's high in potassium and fiber — have a 5,000-year history in the Middle East and parts of the Mediterranean. Often mixed into sweet-savory main dishes and desserts, dates are traditionally eaten as the first food when breaking the fast during Ramadan. Stuffed with nuts, soft cheese and dried fruit, dates provide a sweet complement to savory dishes during autumn and winter holiday dinners… and they're a fast, elegant, seemingly "decadent" option with sweet desserts.

Ingredients

4 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons finely-snipped fresh rosemary
¾ pound (about 24) pitted fresh Medjool dates
½ cup (about 1½ ounces) coarsely-chopped walnuts
Fresh rosemary, for garnish

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

1. Combine mascarpone cheese and rosemary in a small bowl, incorporating well. Cover. Refrigerate for about 1 hour for flavors to blend.
2. Slit the dates along one side. Stuff each date with about 1 teaspoon mascarpone cheese mixture, leaving the slit slightly open to expose the cheese mixture.
3. Dip the cheese-stuffed dates in the walnuts along the slit, allowing the walnuts to coat the cheese mixture.
4. Garnish with rosemary leaves, if desired.
5. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 2 dates
Serves 12

Calories: 150; Calories from fat: 70; Total fat: 8g; Saturated fat: 2.5g; Trans fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Sodium: 5mg; Total carbohydrate: 22g; Dietary fiber: 2g; Sugars: 19g; Protein: 2g

Roberta Duyff, MS, RD, FAND, is author of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food and Nutrition Guide and 365 Days of Healthy Eating.