Bananas Mean It's Healthy... Right?

The stove and I have reached détente. Things are tense. But we’re working on our issues.

The oven, on the other hand, is winning me over. And I’m not easy to win over. I’m testing our relationship. First up, banana-oat-walnut bars. (And, for dinner this evening, homemade pizza.)

The bars are kind of like cake. Healthy cake. They’re moist and nutty, sweetened with coconut flakes and just a little brown sugar.  

You could go wild. You could add raisins or chocolate chips. Or both. That’d be pretty fun. I didn’t add chocolate though, because then I couldn’t call it healthy cake.

I’d like to claim that these bars are for breakfast. But then I’d be lying. Because I just ate two.

So really, they’re anytime bars.

Banana-Oat-Walnut Bars

2 cups old-fashioned oats

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup milk (I use 2%)

2 ripe medium bananas, mashed

¾ cup coconut flakes

¾ cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, baking powder, coconut, and walnuts in a bowl.

Mix the egg, vanilla, milk, bananas, and melted butter in a separate bowl. Add the oat mixture and mix well. 

Press the mixture into a greased square baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes until firm to the touch. The coconut flakes should be golden to light brown around the edges. Let the bars cool briefly (5-10 minutes) before cutting them into squares. Be sure to eat (at least) one when they're still warm. 

Enjoy the bars with a glass of cold milk or crumbled over yogurt.