Makes roughly 20 vegan, gluten-free, protein-rich squares.
Preheat oven to 180 C / 320F.
Grease and line a tray with parchment paper – I used a 8 x 8” / 21 x 21cm tray.
Tear or chop dates in half into a pan – I find it easier with scissors.
Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of dates and add the water.
Bring to the boil while stirring. The dates will melt into a sticky liquid.
Once the date mixture has come to a boil and thickened, beat with a whisk or fork until mixture resembles a relatively smooth puree. (You’ll likely have some lumps still though and that’s okay!)
Combine the date mixture with the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then scoop everything into the baking tray.
Squash the mixture down with the back of a wooden spoon.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the tray and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Score with a knife, cut into squares and transfer to a container.
Feel free to experiment with different nuts, seeds and dried fruit - whatever you have left in your cupboard!
You can also add a mashed banana, although the melted dates act as a good binder here.