Recipe: Stuffed dates

Total time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

12 medjool dates

4 teaspoons Point Reyes blue cheese

4 toasted, salted whole almonds

2 tablespoons goat cheese

1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

1/4 teaspoon powdered sugar plus additional for sprinkling on dates

2 teaspoons chopped bittersweet chocolate

2 tablespoons marzipan

2 teaspoons chopped, toasted pistachio nuts plus extra chopped nuts for dipping dates

Sugar

1. Make a cut along the side but not through the ends of the date, just large enough to remove the pit. Open up the pocket in the dates so they are ready to fill.

2. For dates stuffed with blue cheese, below, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the blue cheese into each of four dates. Press an almond into the tops of each of four dates and set aside.

3. For goat cheese dates, blend the goat cheese with the Grand Marnier until smooth. Stir in one-fourth teaspoon powdered sugar and the chopped chocolate. Divide the mixture into each of four dates. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

4. For marzipan dates, blend together the marzipan and toasted pistachio nuts. Divide the filling into each of four dates. Dip the top of the dates in chopped pistachio nuts then roll dates in sugar.

Each serving: 291 calories; 4 grams protein; 60 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams fiber; 6 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 5 mg. cholesterol; 67 mg. sodium.