Make these easy healthy flapjacks with dates & walnuts for when you need a pick-me-up. Plant-based and vegan, they're ideal for those on a dairy-free diet

• Preparation and cooking time
  • Prep:15 mins
  • Cook:25 mins
• Easy
• Serves 9

• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Healthy
• Vegan
• Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 100g pitted medjool dates
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g walnut halves
• 250g porridge oats
• 50g hemp seeds

Method

• STEP 1

  Line a 20 x 20cm square tin with parchment. Roughly chop the dates and cover with 100ml boiling water. Leave to soak for 10 mins.

• STEP 2

  Put the banana in a bowl, mash with a fork, then stir in the cinnamon, vanilla, a pinch of sea salt and the soaked dates along with their liquid.

• STEP 3

  Tip the mixture into a food processor with half of the walnuts and 100g of the oats. Pulse until you have a thick paste. Tip into a bowl and combine with most of the remaining nuts, oats and hemp seeds.

• STEP 4

  Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Press the mixture into the lined tin, top with the remaining nuts and seeds and, bake for 20-25 mins until golden and firm. Leave to cool completely before cutting into nine squares.