Banana Oat Bars

What do you do with all those bananas that are too ripe and soft to just eat on their own? There's always banana bread, but it's usually loaded with fat and sugar, and simple carbs, and takes a long time to cook. I wanted to be able to make a quick and simple, healthy snack for my boys. These Banana oat bars fit the bill. My boys love them, and they make a great breakfast-on-the-run, or an after school snack. They make a great anytime snack really. These are also egg- and dairy-free which is great for those with food allergies. If you used gluten free oats, they would also be gluten free.

The other great thing about this recipe is that it's so forgiving. Add a little more oats if it seems too wet, try adding nuts, or seeds for more crunch. If you don't have ground flax seed/linseed, then you can use an egg. If you don't like raisins, add chopped dates or apricots instead, or just leave them out. Try different things. You'll find that after a few times, you won't even need to measure the ingredients out, just mix things together, spread it out on a pan, and bake! I doubled my recipe today, and baked it in a large baking tray with 1" sides.

 Banana Oat Bars

2 Medium very ripe bananas
1 Tbs ground flax seed/linseed
3 Tbs water
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs honey or other sweetener (optional)
2 cups rolled or quick oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt
1/4 cup ground almonds (or more ground flax seed)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dessicated coconut (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 13 pan, or small baking sheet. In a small bowl mix the ground flax seed with the water and set aside. In a large bowl, mash the bananas then add the vanilla and honey. When the flax seed mixture is similar in consistency to a beaten egg, add it to the banana, and mix. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined. Spread the mixture evenly on prepared baking dish and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool, then cut into squares and enjoy.