Let’s be a little frank here. Chances are if you are like most people, you could probably use a tad more fibre in the old diet! Taking a quick walk through the grocery store will yield a bounty of packaged food that boast about being a source of fibre. Here is the catch though, many of these purchased items also contain oodles of refined sugars as well as a long list of other ingredients that you may or may not be able to pronounce, let alone understand their purpose.
What if I told you there was a better way? Let me introduce you to my latest creation, healthy date squares! These date squares have all the sweet you are looking for without any refined sugars and a nice little oat crunch.
Healthy Date Squares
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 162kcal
Nothing beats a good date square in my opinion! It has all the qualities I'm looking for in a little snack - healthy fat, a great source of fibre, a hint of sweet and very satisfying.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 c dates
- 2 c rolled oats
- 1/2 c ground flax
- 1/3 c spelt flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 5 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 c melted coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 c raw pecans, chopped optional, sprinkle on top before baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until evenly mixed. Place half of the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 baking dish.
- Soak 2.5 cups dates with 1/2 c boiling water. I place the dates and water into my mini food processor and let it sit for about 10 minutes and then blend. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp salt. Add more water if needed to get the right consistency. Spread carefully on top of first oat layer. Now add the remaining oats and pecans if you wish. Bake for 35 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
Keep date squares in a covered dish once they have completely cooled. They should last for about a week if you haven't eaten them all first. Date squares also freeze fairly well too!
Nutrition
Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
Why is the sodium content so high? Is it in the dates?
Hi Sharon – that does seem a little strange doesn’t it? I am looking into my nutrition calculator tool to see what the scoop is. I’m wondering if the calculator assumed that the pecans were salted? The called for amount of sea salt should only translate to 1.2g. Thanks for letting me know!
Hello Sharon – I found your answer! It turns out the majority of the sodium in the recipe comes from the flaxseeds! While 39g may sound like a lot, it only works out to 2% of the RDA. Click here to learn more. http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/sodium-in-flaxseed.php Thanks for the great question!