Old-Fashioned Date Squares

By Sherri14

Ingredients

• One 3/4 lb (375 g) package pitted dates, or 2 cups
• (500 mL) chopped dates
• 1 cup (250 mL) water
• zest of 1 orange
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) large flake rolled oats
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) canola oil or hemp seed oil or walnut oil
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the dates and the water
to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir until it
becomes a thick paste. Remove from the heat.

2. Stir in the orange zest and the freshly squeezed orange
juice. Set aside to cool.

3. Preheat the oven to 350`F (180`C). Line an 8-inch
(2-L) metal pan with parchment paper.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown
sugar, and cinnamon.

5. In a small bowl, mix together the oil and the orange
juice concentrate. Pour this into the flour mixture.
Blend until the flour mixture looks wet. Pat half of
the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Spread the
date mixture on top. Spoon the rest of the flour
mixture over the date mixture. Lightly press down.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting it
into 16 pieces.