Strawberry Oat Squares (Recipe)

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Breakfast? Dessert? You can go either way with these fruity oat squares.

Serves 9

Ingredients:

1 cup pitted dates 1/2 cup warm water 3 cups frozen sliced strawberries (or other berries) 2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder (see note) 2 ripe bananas, mashed 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Blend dates with water in a high-powered blender until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Place frozen strawberries and 1/2 cup of the blended dates in a medium pot, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and mashing with the back of a spoon or a potato masher to break up large pieces. Add chia seeds and continue to cook and stir for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside.