No Bake Pumpkin Bars

By á-29897

Ingredients

• crust:
• 1 cup almonds (or 1 cup dry almond pulp)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1 1/2 cup Medjool dates
• 3 tsp molasses
• 1 1/2 inch ginger, minced
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• pinch of black pepper
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Another Crust Option:
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup pitted dates, chopped — plus a few more if needed
• filling:
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin OR sweet potato puree (1 large baked sweet potato or canned)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup or coconut nectar
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour

Preparation

Step 1

Line an 8×8” baking pan with parchment paper.
Place the crust ingredients in the food processor and blend until well combined. Remove the lid and gather some of the crust into your hand, squeezing it to form a tight ball in your palm. If the crust crumbles, and doesn’t stick, you’ll need to blend it some more, or add another date.
Pour the crumble into the baking pan, and press it firmly to the bottom to create a tight crust. Place crust in the freezer. Now you can make the filling…

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste, and add more maple syrup if necessary. Spoon the filling into the crust and smooth down with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula.

You can eat it right away, but I recommend letting it firm up and set. Place it in the refrigerator overnight, or for about 6 hours. Pull the parchment paper out of the pan, and cut into squares. Any uneaten squares can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.