Some desserts make you go back to grandma’s kitchen. And this is one of them for me. My Nana was from “across the Pond” as the Brits say, so tea time was just part of going to Grandma’s house. I remember having a cup of tea with a plate filled with treats. And Date Bars was one that Grandma made over and over again. My version has been tweaked to be more heart-friendly. No butter in this one, but plenty of delicious fruits. And there’s still the richness, this time created by some chewy nuts. I think Nana would approve. After all, they say imitation is the best flattery.
Date Bars are a bar cookie, made with an oat top and bottom and filled with a sweet filling of dates and pineapple.
GLUTEN-FREE FRIENDLY: This recipe can be gluten-free when you use gluten-free rolled oats and gluten-free quick oats. It works great for our family’s needs.
Rolled Oats Health-Bites
When it comes to our health walks, fiber is really one of our best friends. According to the American Heart Association, the fiber in oats can reduce what’s called visceral fat, the kind of fat that settles around our bellies. Visceral fat also raises our risk for heart disease and strokes even if our BMI (body mass index) is normal. Studies have shown that rolled oats, eaten regularly, is one of the biggest things we can do to get rid of visceral fat.
Date Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled or quick oats
- 1 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 cup coconut flakes, shredded preferred
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 banana mashed
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 20 oz can of crushed pineapple
- 2 cups dates pitted and chopped
Instructions
- To make the crust, combine rolled or quick oats with the orange juice, coconut, oat flour, banana, walnuts and salt. For a gluten-free dessert, substitute regular oats with a gluten-free variety. Bob's Red Mill is a good source of regular or quick oats. You can make the oat flour by processing oats in a blender. Be careful not to blend too long so the oats do not turn into a paste.
- If necessary, use more orange juice to hold the crust ingredients together. It should hold together in a ball and should be sticky (though not wet).
- Press half the crust mixture into a 9x12 glass baking dish.
- Prepare the filling by combining the pineapple and chopped dates into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the fruit has become thick and creamy.
- Spoon the fruit mixture on top of the oat crust in your baking dish.
- Using your hands, add the remaining oat mixture on top of the fruit. Crumble it as you cover the top of the pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree preheated oven.
- Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve.
- This recipe makes 16 large date bars.
