Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice squeezed from sweet juice, blood, or Valencia oranges (about 3 to 4 small oranges) (NOTE 1)
11 small pitted dessert dates (or 7 large fancy dates, honey or medjhool)
4 level Tablespoons almond butter
2 Tablespoons fresh oil (almond, sunflower, or grapeseed would be best for flavor)


Instructions:


If dates have pits, remove pits.
Slice dates into pieces the size of dried lima beans.

If dates are hard, soften them by heating or cooking them in 1/4 cup or less hot water before putting them in blender.  Cook most of the water out before blending them or the dipping sauce will be too runny.

Blend orange juice and dates (slowly at first, then increase speed) until dates are almost completely dissolved and mixture is thick and smooth.
Put almond butter, oil in a small mixing bowl and mix with a metal spoon until smooth.
Add almond butter-oil mixture into blender with date-sweetened orange juice and blend till mixed.


Serving Information:

Yields 1.5 cups dressing, enough for 3 steamed globe artichokes.


Notes:

NOTE 1:  Valencia, blood, or juice oranges will provide the best flavor.  Navel Oranges, will disappoint, but adding .5 teaspoon of orange flavoring (or fresh peeled orange zest) and a couple of extra dates will help.