Welcome to a world of deliciousness. I first posted Banana and Peanut Butter Bars in March 2014 and in that time they have evolved. They still contain banana, peanut butter and oats but as I have lived with these bars for a while now I have a lot more to say about them.
I re-read my original post last week and I appear to be somewhat apologetic about these bars! Why? Granted my original photos do look like cheap bacon frazzles, but if you don’t like the taste of these bars, I now think why? My mum doesn’t like them because she thinks they should be crunchy. I never told her they were going to be crunchy! I think of them as a dense oat and banana cake. I eat cake for breakfast and I feel rather delighted with that!
It DOES matter what peanut butter you use! I have made these with inferior peanut butter and you can taste the difference. The only nut butters I use are Meridian. They contain no salt, sugar or palm oil unlike some other brands.
I used to store these in the cupboard, but after I lost a few in the summer because they went mouldy I now store in the fridge and freezer.
I double the recipe below, then bake half the mix without the cacao and the other half with. I make 24 at a time, individually wrap 14 in cling film and freeze them. The other 10 are kept in the fridge. I am never without a supply of them. If I decide I want one from the freezer, I just heat it up in the oven for 5 mins at 170C°.
I eat one of these bars in the morning with a cup of tea when I am getting the boys ready for school if I don’t have time to have a proper sit down breakfast. If I don’t have one at breakfast I eat it as an afternoon snack.
For the festive period I have jazzed them up with walnuts, cranberries and cinnamon. Also in the last few years I have discovered cacao powder and nibs, so I will also share how to turn these bars all chocolatey! Just add the final two ingredients for the chocolate variety.
Cranberry and Walnut Bars
Serves 12
- 3 bananas (approx. 300g)
- 50g walnuts (chopped)
- 50g dried cranberries
- 150g oats
- 100g crunchy Meridian peanut butter
- 1-2 tsp cinnamon
- 25g coconut oil
- 25g cacao nibs (if you want chocolate bars)
- 25g cacao powder
Start Cooking
- Mash the bananas in a big bowl.
- Chop the walnuts and cranberries and add them, the peanut butter, oats and cinnamon and mix.
- Meanwhile melt the coconut oil and add that to the bowl and mix well.
- If you are making the chocolate bars, add the powder and nibs and mix in.
- Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper or use a silicone tray.
- Pat the mixture down and bake in the oven at 170C° for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the tin once ready and cool on a wire rack before cutting into 12 bars.
Nutrition per bar
Kcals: 152
Total Fat: 8.6g
Saturated Fat: 2.9g
Total Carbs: 14.3g
Total Sugars: 6.8g
Protein: 4.4g
Want to read my previous posts?
Original Banana and Peanut Butter Bars (looking like frazzels)
Saving Money and Avoiding Food Wastage – My 12 Top Tips
Saving Money and Avoiding Food Wastage – My 10 Top Tips Fruit for Freezing Fruit
Saving Money and Avoiding Food Wastage – My 6 Top Tips to use Veg Past Their Best Before Date