These squares are great to make when pumpkins are in season. I have tried this recipe with butternut squash as well and it's equally delicious. You can use canned pumpkin puree if you like, but make sure it's just pureed pumpkins with no added spices or additives. I added dark chocolate and crushed pistachios on top, since I was making it for a festival (Diwali - the festival of light in India), and I wanted a bit of an indulgent dessert. You can omit if you want to eat it for breakfast and as a health snack.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Fusion
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 12 minutesminutes
cooling & slicing 6 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 24squares
Calories 74kcal
Equipment
1 Vitamix Food Processor
Ingredients
3cupsoats (I use sprouted oats, rolled and quick oats will also work well)
1cuppitted dates( I used fresh soft medjool dates, any dates will work - if they are hard and dry, soak in a little water for about 10/15 minutes to soften. Strain out water and use just the dates)
1cuppumpkin puree (I used home-made pumpkin puree, if you are using canned, make sure there are no spices added in it)
1tsp cinnamon powder
1/4tspginger powder
1/4 tspclove powder
1/8 tsp cardamom powder(cardamom has a strong taste, so omit or use less)
1/8tspnutmeg powder
Optional Ingredients to Add to Dough
1/2 cup raw walnuts(if you are not adding any toppings, add some raw walnuts right at the end of blending, after you add in the pumpkin puree
2tbspmaple syrup(these squares are not overly sweet, if you want it a bit on the sweeter side, I suggest adding in 2 tbsp maple syrup, when you add the pumpkin puree)
Optional Toppings
1blockdark chocolate(I used a block of 90% dark cooking chocolate, you can use any chocolate you like, melt your chocolate over hot water in a double boiler )
1cup crushed pistachios (I crushed 1/2 cup of whole pistachios in a motor and pestle)
Instructions
To a food processor add oats, dates and all your spices, blend on high for 30 to 40 seconds, till the dates and oats are broken down and well combined.
Add in the pumpkin puree and blend again till all ingredients comes together like a dough.
Place dough into a baking tray and press down firmly. At this point you can bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. If you are adding a toping like I did then do so before baking.
Pour a thin layer of melted dark chocolate on top of the dough and sprinkle crushed pistachios. Bake in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, cool and slice into squares.
Notes
These squares keep well in the fridge for a week, in an air tight container. They also freeze well for up to 3 months.