Ahh, the month of February.  Heart-shaped chocolates and truffles.  Romantic dinners with wine and red roses.

However, for those individuals whose significant ‘others’ take the shape of a bike, a running trail or a pool, perhaps now is a good time to start thinking about ‘dating.’

At the peak of Ironman training when I was juggling double-workout days and working full-time, it was hard to properly fuel my workouts given my time constraints.  As a result, I would go into a training session either starving and burn out too soon, or I’d eat a substantial snack that would in turn, need substantial time to digest.  By that time, the sun had set, and so had my motivation.

Enter, the blind date.   A colleague of mine noticed my dilemma and kindly shared her creation- a mixture of natural energy consisting of dates, lime juice and nuts.  Oh, the joys of simple nutrition!  I appropriately nicknamed them B.L.I.N.D dates (Blended Lime juice In Nutty Deliciousness). 

Just as real-life blind dates can sometimes be a pleasant surprise, these little creations were surprisingly delicious, and served their purpose well.  Not only were they easily digestible, but the energy from the dates was quick-burning, and the monounsaturated fats and protein from the nuts kept my stomach satisfied.  They conveniently fit into a gym bag or into the back of a jersey pocket for energy on the go.  Try it for yourself!

B.L.I.N.D. Dates

-2 c. nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, pistachios)

-2 c. pitted dates

-1/2 c. dried sour cherries

-2 Tbs. flaxseed

-juice from 1-2 limes

Directions: Using a food processor, combine the above ingredients.  Add enough lime juice to bind the ingredients enough where they can be easily rolled into balls. Enjoy!

Feel free to get creative with this basic recipe…try adding a scoop of protein powder, other dried fruit, shredded coconut, or even morsels of carob or chocolate for a sweeter variety.

Love is complicated enough.  Keep your nutrition simple.  Happy “dating!”

Original recipe and inspiration from the kitchen of my dear friend and fellow dietitian, Praveena Kumar, MA, RD.