Banana chocolate oat bars
These chewy oat bars are flourless and plant-based.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, I wasn't able to stock my pantry with flour, so I decided to bake without any. I used soaked chia seeds as an egg replacer, and I think they add a nice chewiness that eggs would not.
You won’t need to add sugar if you use very ripe bananas (fresh or frozen — the kind you would use for banana bread); the small amount of honey is mainly to help with binding.
I added chocolate chips because I love the combination of bananas and chocolate, and I think we can all use a little treat right now. Enjoy for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
To store, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Servings: 18 as bars, 36 as bites
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons water
- Coconut oil, vegan butter, or cooking spray to grease the baking dish
- 2 to 3 very ripe bananas (fresh or previously frozen); about 1 1/2 cups
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (oat milk recommended)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- In a small bowl, mix chia seeds together with water. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, until they form a gel.
- Generously grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish or 9-inch round cake pan with oil.
- In a mixing bowl, use a fork to mash the bananas until smooth. If using frozen bananas, microwave on high for about 5 minutes, until softened, and then mash.
- Stir in the chia seed and water mixture, rolled oats, milk, cinnamon, honey, vanilla extract, and salt until well incorporated. Then, stir in chocolate chips.
- Spoon the mixture into the baking dish and gently use the back of the spoon to flatten and smooth the surface, as it will not spread.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until slightly browned and firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into bars or bite-sized squares.
Nutrition Information (for 18 banana chocolate oat bars)
- Calories: 80
- Total fat: 2 g
- Saturated fat: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Total carbohydrate: 14 g
- Dietary fiber: 2 g
- Total sugars: 5 g (includes 1 g added sugar)
- Protein: 2 g