120g rolled oats
45g desiccated coconut
5-6 Medjool dates (or 120g of pitted dates)
60g walnuts
30g pumpkin seeds
30g pecans
½ tsp baking soda
1 egg
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
60ml extra virgin olive oil
18 Medjool dates (or 300g of pitted dates)*
4 dried figs, finely chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
A pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 160ºC / 325º F.
Add 80g of the oats to a food processor, and process into oat flour.
Then add the dates, coconut and baking soda to the food processor with the oat flour. Process until everything is combined.
Add the remaining 40g of oats, pumpkin seeds and walnuts, and pulse a few times to break them up, leaving some texture.
Then add the egg, oil, and flaxseed. Pulse again to combine.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the base mixture to use as the crumble topping for the bars.
Press the rest of the oat crunch mixture into the bottom of a lined 8×8 inch pan, leaving a little greaseproof paper hanging over the edge.
Make the caramel filling by adding the dates, figs and lemon juice to a food processor. Blend on high until smooth and use a spatula to scrape the mixture down the sides.
Using wet hands or a little flour, press the caramel layer on top of the oat crunch layer. Then crumble the leftover mixture over the top of the caramel layer to make the topping.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Let the bars cool completely before slicing