Banana Maple Delicatesse

Ingredients:
3 cups organic old fashioned oats
6 tbsp. chia seeds
12 tbsp. filtered water
2 large ripe bananas
½ cups medium sized pitted dates
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. Himalayan sea salt
1 tbsp. raw organic mesquite powder
2 tbsp. raw cacao powder
1 cup chopped almonds (soaked and dehydrated)
½ cups soaked and dehydrated buckwheat groats
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chia seeds and water into a measuring cup and let the seeds soak for 10 minutes, creating a paste. Stir halfway through. Place the oats, dates, 2 bananas, cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt, mesquite powder, cacao powder, almonds, into a large Cuisinart. Pulse for 1 minute. Simply make sure the ingredients are mixed evenly. Remove from the Cuisinart and place into a large mixing bowl. Add the chia seed paste, buckwheat groats, and the almond milk. Wash your hands because you need to mix the batter with your hands. Do not use a spoon. Make sure the chia seed paste is mixed in thoroughly. Take a 10 inch round cake pan with a removable bottom and coat with coconut oil. Pour the batter into the middle of the pan. Take a press and push the batter down hard into the pan. Make sure the bottom and sides are of even thickness all around. Put the pan into the center of the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Check with a toothpick after 25 minutes. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done. Do not bake after 35 minutes because it will become to dry. Remove from the oven and remove the side of the pan. Leave it on the bottom of the pan and set aside to cool.

Topping Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
½ cup chopped almonds
¾ cups chopped dates
1 tbsp. cacao powder
½ tbsp. coconut sugar
½ cups maple syrup

Directions:
Cut the banana into even slices. Chop the dates and almonds into small pieces. Take the banana slices and space them evenly in a row along the outside edge. Then place another row inside the outer row. Place one slice in the center. Sprinkle the dates and almonds evenly over the top. Sprinkle the cacao powder evenly over the top. Finally sprinkle the coconut sugar evenly on top. Do not drizzle the maple syrup over the top until ready to serve, otherwise it will soak in and make it soggy. It is better to garnish each serving right before eating.

Will last 3 to 5 days covered in the refrigerator. Will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Note: All of the nuts and seeds used in my recipes are soaked for 8 hours in the refrigerator. They are rinsed several times, drained, and dehydrated for 8 hours prior to use.