Simple Vegan Date Squares
15:47
"You've to celebrate the good days because there are brutal days that make the goods ones sweet."- Brian O'Driscoll
The past few weeks have been the saddest and longest weeks I've ever had to experience in my short life. I've never really imagined my dad passing away before his retirement. I don't think any child thinks that of their parents. I know, I've been lucky enough to share more than 2 decades of my life in the presence and guidance of my father, but that's not enough. Not to me, anyway.
Call me cheesy, but though I've always been wishy-washy about having children in the future, I've always imagined my dad would be there to play with my future child(ren). He was such a gentle and kind father, a wonderful one any kid could ask for, and I've always hoped that any future offspring would be able to learn from him. Though that will never be a possibility now, I promise to keep his memory alive by sharing stories of how funny and generous my father was in the 58 years he lived on Earth.
Medjool dates weren't really a "thing" where I grew up in Southeast Asia. A few years ago, a family friend gifted us a with a big box of medjool dates from Turkey. My dad and I couldn't stop eating them like candy. Just popping one big date at a time like candy. Actually, the sweet and sticky date reminded my dad and I of caramel, a candy we both didn't quite enjoy. Then my mama explained dates are a delicacy and that they're healthy (at least healthier than candy). And that is how my love affair with medjool dates started.
When I first transitioned into veganism, I grabbed medjool dates and decided to sandwich in as much peanut butter as possible. My dad was visiting one summer when he saw me eat a medjool date with peanut butter and intrigued, he asked me to give him one. He was sold! Sweet tooth that he was. When he started to feel the weight of cancer, he couldn't eat much anymore, but once in a while, he would ask me to make him a "date peanut butter sandwich" as he lovingly named them.
My aunt, being unable to properly allocate food to each person (there's always MORE food than is necessary, bought boxes of medjool dates. Mind you, I'm not complaining, but still! The sight of all the dates is enough to give me panic attacks. In turn, I pulled out a little label of ingredients (without measurements) of a date square I purchased at one of my client's cafeteria. It was so sweet and rich, I ended up eating it in 4 hours. It's just not normal.
To honour my dad's life, I dedicate this recipe post to him, the gentlest and wisest of them all. Your Scarlett loves you forever, Daddy-o <3
Simple Vegan Date Squares
Makes 9-16 squares
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup gluten-free flour
- 1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup cold coconut oil, cubed*
- 2.5 cups medjool dates, soaked in warm water for at least 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a square pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor, process all ingredients except for the medjool dates. Make sure that it's not completely processed and that there are still crumbs.
Pour half of the mixture in the square pan and pat down. Make sure there are no cracks in the dough.
Process all medjool dates together until a paste is formed. I like it when it's not too smooth so there's a bit of a chew.
Pour the date paste on top of the first layer of the flour mixture. Make sure that spread out evenly. Then pour the remaining flour mixture. Press lightly.
Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool first before slicing.
Notes:
* - You can also use vegan butter and make sure that it's hard as well.
Enjoy! xx
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