Banana-chocolate granola bars

Prep 15 min·Cook 40 min·Total 55 min·12 bars·VEGAN·180 kcal

Ingredients

3 bananas (ripe)
3 Tbsp nut butter (e.g. peanut, cashew)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 cups fine oats (or quinoa flakes (gluten free))
75 gr (1/2 cup) pecans or any other nuts
2 Tbsp chocolate drops
2 pinches of salt
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp flax seed
Melted chocolate for decorating

Equipment: Baking oven

Instructions

1.Smash the bananas with a fork
2.Add all moist ingredients into a bowl
3.Now add all dry ingredients and mix everything well until everything is moist
4.Preheat the oven to 150°C (302°F)
5.Put a baking paper inside a rectangular baking dish (approx. 20x30 cm / 8“x12“)
6.Add the dough to the baking dish and press it down well (e.g. with a spoon)
7.Bake for 30-40 minutes
8.Let it cool off, take it out of the dish and cut it into bars
9.If you like the bars crispier, you can now bake them a 2nd time for approx. 15 minutes (this is what I did)
10.Now decorate the bars with melted chocolate and let them cool off

Notes

Tip from my kitchen: use really ripe bananas with brown spots – they are sweeter and let the bars come together without any added sugar while helping them bind. Press the mixture firmly into the dish, that is the key so nothing falls apart. Let the bars cool completely before cutting, and bake them a second time for extra bite. In an airtight container they keep for about 5 days, and you can also freeze them individually.

Nutrition per serving: 180 kcal