1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Lightly mist a baking pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium heatproof bowl, cover the dates with hot water. Set aside. Or, cover the dates with water and microwave for 45 seconds.

3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process oats for several minutes until you have a coarse oat flour. Add walnuts or cashews, baking soda, and salt. Pulse 10-12 times, for 1 second each, until the nuts and oats are chopped but not fine.

4. Add the applesauce, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Process until a dough forms. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

5. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the dates to the food processor, reserving the soaking liquid; there’s no need to wash the processor bowl.

6. Add a tablespoon of the soaking liquid, the banana, lemon zest, lemon juice and the nutmeg. Pulse several times to combine, then process until smooth. The paste should be thick but still liquid. Add a little more soaking liquid as needed.

7. While the food processor is running, use wet hands to press two-thirds of the dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Once the banana date paste is smooth, spread it evenly across the dough. Break the remaining dough into marble-size pieces, sprinkle them across the banana paste, and lightly press in.

8. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the oat topping is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!