Date bites
I haven’t cut this one yet, so it doesn’t look much like a bite, but it can!
As it’s school holidays my youngest son wanted things to munch on so I was thinking of snacks to bake that were simple, reasonably nutrient-dense and would tick boxes for fussy eaters.
I think this one ticks all those boxes!
I wouldn’t rave that it’s the best thing I’ve eaten, but it’s surprisingly more-ish!
It would be perfect as a lunch-box or morning tea snack.
This recipe contains dairy, but it could easily be made dairy-free and I’ve made those adjustments.
Recipe
Date paste
80 g dates (I used the budget, hard ones)
15g butter (use water for DF)
Salt
Oat biscuit
45g oat flour (I ground oats in my spice grinder)
38g oats (I used wholegrain but blitzed them up a bit. Rolled oats would probably be better)
¼ tsp baking powder
Salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp cardamon (optional)
25 g melted butter (for DF use tahini or a nut/seed butter instead of butter and yoghurt)
1 dst sp yoghurt
Method
Heat oven to 180˚
Put the dates, salt and butter or water into a bowl and microwave for approx. a minute.
Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Add the butter and yoghurt (and any liquid from the dates) and mix together well.
Put baking paper in a small baking dish and add 1/3 of the oat mixture to the bottom.
Spread around and flatten.
Put the date mixture in the blender and create a paste.
Spread the date paste on top of the oat mixture.
Spread the remainder of the oat mixture on top.
Bake for approx. 30 minutes or until the top starts to brown.
Cut into pieces.
Allow to cool a little.
Eat
Judith, MA Cantab (Cambridge University), Post Grad Dip Psychology (Massey University), is an AOTA accredited picky eating advisor and internationally certified nutritional therapist. She works with 100+ families every year resolving fussy eating and returning pleasure and joy to the meal table.
She is also mum to two boys and the author of Creating Confident Eaters and Winner Winner I Eat Dinner. Her dream is that every child is able to approach food from a place of safety and joy, not fear.
Learn more about Judith here: https://theconfidenteater.com/about/