Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Energy Bars

 

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend filled with fun, family, friends and fireworks!  A break from normal every-day-life is wonderful and very much needed every once in a while, but then it's always nice to get back into the normal routine; including sharing my favorite recipes with you!  

These little jam-packed energy bars are ooey, gooey, easy to make and so yummy.  A perfect treat to make when you have bananas you need to use up.  And using coconut oil and oats and bananas and spices makes these healthy, right?  That's what I say when I find myself going back every few minutes to even the pan out.  I hope you enjoy them!

Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Energy Bars

Yield: 16 squares

Ingredients

2 bananas, ripe

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper then spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas then add the brown sugar, oil and vanilla.  With an electric mixer mix until smooth.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the baking power, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour and oats.  Add the banana mixture and stir until almost all the way combined then add in the chocolate chips and finish stirring until just combined.

Pour the mixture into the baking pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the top puffs up and is golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.  Remove the bars by lifting up the parchment paper then cut into 16 squares.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Source: adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks: Runner's World, Meals on the Run.