Disclosure: This post was developed in partnership with LIVA foods, however, as always, all opinions are genuine.
March is Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is “Good For You.” One of the main messages of this campaign is that healthy eating looks different for everyone. It acknowledges the role of culture, food traditions, individual circumstances, and the role that each person’s unique nutritional needs play in determining what healthy eating looks like for them. For me, healthy eating and a balanced lifestyle wouldn’t be complete without desserts and sweet foods. I have a major sweet tooth and life is too short to not eat the foods we enjoy the most.
Baking and enjoying sweets with family and friends has always been part of my life. Growing up in a large, close-knit family, I have memories of gatherings and celebrations where many family members brought home-baked cakes, cookies and desserts for everyone to share and enjoy. While we can’t share food the way we used to, I have been spending lots of time throughout the pandemic baking and cooking with my daughter. We both enjoy spending time in the kitchen together.
As a dietitian and a mom, I am always trying to prepare food that my family enjoys and that I feel good about serving. I always try to incorporate ‘better for you’ ingredients and LIVA raw date sugar is my go-to choice as a traditional sugar alternative. I like that when I prepare muffins, energy bites, baked oatmeal, or cookies with LIVA raw date sugar, the recipes come out tasting great and have more nutrients than if I was using regular, refined sugar. It’s a win – win situation. The sugar adds a nice sweetness and light caramel flavour to recipes.
LIVA date sugar is a pure, organic, all-natural and versatile whole food sugar alternative to traditional sweeteners and is made from just two ingredients – whole dehydrated raw organic dates and love. It retains most of the nutrition dates offer, such as fiber (1 tsp has 1g of fibre) and antioxidant properties. Dates contain phenolic acid and carotenoids(1), both of which are antioxidants that have roles in promoting heart health. Phenolic acid also has anti-inflammatory properties and carotenoids can help reduce the risk of eye disorders.
I made these no-bake tahini oat balls from LIVA foods with my daughter and they were the perfect snack to satisfy our sweet tooth. They contain a good dose of healthy fat from the tahini and have a smooth, nutty flavour. I pair the tahini balls with a piece of fruit for a balanced snack or they are great with tea or coffee in the afternoon. Give them a try!
For more information on LIVA date sugar and to check out their deliciously sweet recipes, visit their website at www.livafoods.com and check out their Instagram page @livafoods.
Reference: Rahmani, A. H., Aly, S. M., Ali, H., Babiker, A. Y., Srikar, S., & Khan, A. A. (2014). Therapeutic effects of date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera) in the prevention of diseases via modulation of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-tumour activity. International journal of clinical and experimental medicine, 7(3), 483–491.
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