Summer is the time of the year when we start seeing colorful dates here in Saudi. Depending on the type of date, sometimes they're red or yellow before they ripen. We can only enjoy them during this time of the year because they can only be eaten fresh. Freezing them doesn't really work and refrigerating them will keep them fresh for a few weeks.

The colored part is crunchy and a bit dry while the brown part is so soft and even juicy!

One of my all time favorite treats is dates with nut or seed butter. Especially with tahini ahhhhh, I can't get enough! The only thing I dislike about tahina with dates is that it gets messy and I end up with tahina running all the way down to my elbow. Not pretty.

After some pre-bedtime brainstorming, I thought about pairing tahina with almonds, but when I woke up it just hit me that it would be much better with sunflower kernels. Besides, it'll be nut-free for those who are allergic.

You can use this butter with dates, apples, carrots, or mix it in with your oatmeal. You can also water it down a bit and add a little bit of lemon juice and use it as a salad dressing. Get creative!

Seed-Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sunflower kernels
• 1 cup runny tahini
• 2 tbsp maple syrup optional*
• Hemp hearts optional

Method:

1. Grind the sunflower kernels for about 5 minutes in a food processor
2. Add the tahini and process until you reach the desired consistency. I like mine a bit crunchy.

*If you're using a small food processor thenI recommend cutting the ingredients in half

*If you're going to stuff dates with this butter then there's no need for any sweeteners, but I suggest adding some if you want to use it to top on bread and oatmeal.