Soft Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars

I can't stand products at the grocery store that are obviously cashing in on the misconception that certain types of food are inhently healthy. Things like granola, granola bars, and yogurt loaded with so much sugar and filler that they end up being no better for you than a box of oreos. The products are always given super-healthy names and have little badges saying things like "all natural".

The opposite of these products are the super healthy recipes on the internet that have ultra decadent names they can never live up to. It's just a silly pet peeve of mine, and I know that it isn't doing anyone any harm (unlike when companies create unhealthy 'health' food) but I feel like we all know deep down inside that the 'cookies' made only from plain oats and mashed bananas wouldn't be welcome at most cookie swaps. The thing is, I'll make and eat those 'cookies' but I refuse to call them cookies. Because they aren't. 

It's like there's one group of people eating dessert and pretending its health food, and another group of people eating health food and pretending its dessert.

So these bars are healthy, and they are tasty. But I stubbornly refuse to give them a dessert-sounding name (but feel free to rename them for yourself as 'soft cookie bars' or 'peanut butter banana bread granola bars' or whatever entices those around you to try them). To me, they will always be peanut butter banana oat bars. 

 

They're a cross between a granola bar and baked oatmeal; soft and slightly chewy and studded with whatever add-ins strike your fancy. This version uses Peanut butter, cashews, coconut, chopped up walnuts, and banana to bind it and add some sweetness.  The riper the bananas, the better your bars will taste. It's the perfect opportunity to dig up those old, black bananas from the back of your freezer.

The oats are the large flake or old fashioned kind. Don't use quick oats because they can't soak up as much of the banana and other ingredients and your bars will fall apart.


All the ingredients get mushed together in a bowl...




.. and pressed evenly in an 8x8 baking dish lined with parchment paper to ensure that the bars don't stick.

They are baked for 20 minutes and fill your whole house with that amazing 'baked bananas and cinnamon' scent.

Once fully cooked, the slab needs to cool completely before being sliced in order to get nice clean cuts.

I like smaller, snack sized bars so I cut the slab first into five equal strips, and then cut the strips in half to get ten bars.

Yum! So nutty and delicious. You could also fold in dried fruit or even chocolate chips in place of the chopped cashews and walnuts.

All wrapped up and ready to live in the office snack drawer!

The bars are hassle-free to make, customizable, and (unlike the most grocery store bars) are pretty good for you. And - just to clarify - they taste healthy too; Only mildly sweet, mostly nutty with a hint of oats and banana.

 

 Soft Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars

recipe adapted and inspired from : Sweet Miscellany, and Watching what I eat

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup peanut butter (the 100% natural unsweetened kind)

1/2 cup chopped roasted cashews

1/4 cup coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup of old fashioned or large flake oats

preheat your oven to 350

1. mash the banana in a bowl. Stir in the rest of ingredients until combined well.

2. Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper (it helps to grease the pan a bit to get the parchment to stick to it.) Then spread the batter into an even layer with a spatula.

3. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the edges are golden brown

4. Allow to cool completely before cutting into slices.

 

 

Comments

[Sahar]

These look great! I really needed to have had a snack like this in my bag this afternoon... Just wondering how long they keep well for?

[Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe]

I wholeheartedly share your frustration. I stopped buying store-bought granola bars and cookies long ago and do not intend on turning back. These sound really delicious and I love that they provide a new way to use up old bananas! I almost always have over-ripe bananas in need of using - in fact, I could probably whip up a batch of these tonight! I wonder if almond butter would work well in place of the peanut butter?

[Stephanie]

Sahar: I've had them kicking around for a over a week before and they were still good. We just tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and store at room temp. Normally they don't last a whole week before they get eaten!

Amanada: any nut-butter should work!

[Eileen]

These bars sound so good! And I do indeed have several black bananas hanging out somewhere in the depths of my freezer... :)

[Julie]

Wow, these look divine, whatever you call them!

[Kelly Neil]

Yuh-UM!!

[Jan @ Family Bites]

This is awesome! I have 9 bananas sitting on my counter and I've been wondering what to make besides the obvious - banana bread. I'm printing the recipe now to make them for breakfast tomorrow morning.

[Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking]

I love it. I also hate the healthy misconception most store-bought granola bars have. I can't wait to make these, they sound just perfect!

[erin @ yummy supper]

Stephanie, these are so up my alley! I agree with you and your annoyance with all the misleading "healthy" snack food at the grocery store.
On the other hand, your bars are packed with all sorts of goodness and they look like a treat at the same time - perfect! And they're gluten-free, which works for me. Very happy over here!

xo
E

[Deb]

I am always hunting for recipes that use up ripe bananas. A great recipe! Healthy and I can use up those bananas!

[Paula]

These look great and a much healthier snack for sure.

[Natalie @ Once Upon a Cutting Board]

One of my biggest pet peeves is when bloggers call their recipe healthy and advertise it on foodgawker as being super healthy, then you go to it and it's still full of sugar and butter but maybe has one healthy little thing thrown in. Nothing wrong with those recipes but they are falsely advertised! So I get your pet peeves too! These bars look delicious though and I think their name is just perfect :)

[Vicki E @ Watching What I Eat]

Hi Stephanie ~
These sound like a really tasty spin on my breakfast cookies. Glad you were inspired to take them in a new direction. I'll have to give them a try. :)

I actually do like the name 'breakfast cookie' for my b/c recipes. I think the name appeals to a lot of people and gets them to try a recipe that is full of 'breakfast-y' ingredients. That's why I was attracted to them way back when. Who doesn't think it's fun to be eating a 'cookie' at breakfast? Kids REALLY think that is cool. Since I've got a kid, it works for me. :)

Thanks for linking back to my blog to show where you got some of your inspiration from.

Cheers!
Vicki E @ Watching What I Eat

[Becs @ Lay the table]

They sound amazing Steph but if I put them in my drawer at work they will all be gone on day 1!

[yellowfish]

these have all my favorite ingredients, yum!

[pickles]

I will do this, making the following changes, using what I have on hand. Pecans for cashews, pumpkin seeds for walnuts, adding 1/2 C chocolate chips. If this does not taste sweet enough, I may add some stevia.

[Rachel]

Mine are in the oven right now!

[Mom of Six]

Hello,
This recipe looks great. I'm definately going to make some. I have also been looking for yummy ways to use up ripe bananas. I'm also looking for a truthfully healthy oatmeal lemon bar recipe. Do you have any or know of a site I can find one? There is a site I go to often to get healthy recipes...foodsforlonglife.org.

Blessings, Mom of six