Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Yield: Makes 12 squares. Each square provides approximately 7 g of protein, compared with 2 g for a standard date square recipe.
IDate purée ingredients:
425 g (2 ½ cups) pitted and chopped dates
250 ml (1 cup) water
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice (optional)
or
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) ready-made store-bought date purée
Protein crumble ingredients:
60 ml (1/4 cup) of Zenit organic vanilla plant protein
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) quick-cooking rolled oats
185 ml (3/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
125 ml (1/2 cup) textured soy protein (TVP)
185 ml (3/4 cup) brown sugar
1 ml (1/4 tsp) baking powder
125 ml (1/2 cup) melted butter
60 ml (1/4 cup) canola or olive oil
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) and place the rack in the center. Grease a 20 cm (8 in) square pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper, leaving the paper overhanging on two sides. This will make it much easier to remove from the pan!
To prepare the filling, place the dates, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until a date purée forms. Set aside and let cool slightly. You can also use store-bought date purée.
Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. In a large bowl, combine the Zenit organic vanilla protein blend, rolled oats, flour, TVP, brown sugar, and baking powder. Add the softened butter and oil. Mix until the mixture is uniform and slightly crumbly.
Place about half of the oat mixture in the bottom of the pan and press down firmly with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Then spread the date filling evenly over top. Finish with the remaining crumble mixture and press gently.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is nicely golden brown.
Let cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting into 12 squares. For beautiful squares that hold together well, it’s best to wait a few hours before cutting them.
Zenit’s little extra: dates and oats naturally provide carbohydrates and fiber, while adding protein to the topping makes these squares more filling. A great combination for a nourishing snack that helps maintain energy longer.
You can also add a little plain Greek yogurt on top to further increase the protein and satiety.
Simple, comforting, and perfect for packing in a lunchbox!