Banana & Chocolate Oat Bars with FUTURELIFE®

These Banana & Chocolate Oat Bars started off as an attempt on baked oatmeal, but on cutting the finished dish into squares and allowing them to cool, they firmly earned their place in the world as bars.

The recipe for these Banana & Chocolate Oat Bars is simple but requires two ripe bananas. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, whenever you plan on baking with bananas they need to be very ripe, and Boyfriend Banana Bread is proof of that.

I’ve always been a huge fan of oats, so the reformulated FUTURELIFE® Smart Oats® and Ancient Grains (previously known as FUTURELIFE® Smart Oats®) is a winner because of the fact that it’s a combination of 5 whole grains which on top of oats includes maize, rice, sorghum and quinoa – all providing a great amount of fibre and protein. You’ll also find it contains 38% less sugar than before.

Other FUTURELIFE® Smart Oats® and Ancient Grains benefits include:

1. Immune Support (9 vitamins and minerals that contribute to the normal function of the immune system: Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E, Iron, Selenium, Zinc, Vitamin D, Vitamin C).
2. Bone Support (5 vitamins and minerals which assist in maintaining normal bones: Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Zinc, Manganese).
3. Fatigue Reduction (8 vitamins and minerals which assist in reducing tiredness and fatigue: Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Iron).

Banana & Chocolate Oat Bars with FUTURELIFE® Smart Oats® and Ancient Grains

These baked oat bars are insanely good. I’m not just saying that because I’m sharing the recipe, I was genuinely surprised at how they turned out. You sometimes find recipes, adapt them to become your own, and very regularly they don’t work out – especially when it comes to the baked kind. Not the case here!

The balance of flavour and texture is fantastic thanks to the combination of FUTURELIFE® Smart Oats® and Ancient Grains, rolled oats, ripe bananas, roughly chopped dark chocolate and walnuts.

Now I know that I also once again lectured you on the use of very ripe bananas in baking recipes, but if you want to dot the top of the bars with a sliced banana like I did, then I recommend using one that isn’t as ripe. A bit of banana ripening strategy required here but it’s worth it.

I used the Original FUTURELIFE® Smart Oats® and Ancient Grains but you could also use Chocolate, Honey or Mixed Berries (and then possibly top the bars with berries instead of sliced banana – which I’m totally going to do next time!)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup FUTURELIFE® Smart Oats® and Ancient Grains (Original)
• 1 cup rolled oats 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tsp chia seeds 
• 2 large ripe bananas
• 2 eggs 
• 1 1/2 cups milk of choice 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 2 tbsp honey/maple syrup 
• 1/2 cup walnuts/pecans, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate (at least 55%), roughly chopped
• 1 ripe banana, sliced

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a small square or rectangular baking dish.
2. Combine the Smart Oats® and Ancient Grains, rolled oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and chia seeds in a mixing bowl, combine and set aside.
3. Mash the two ripe bananas in a separate bowl, then add the eggs, milk, vanilla, honey or maple syrup and whisk to combine.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined.
5. Fold in 3/4 of the chopped nuts and 3/4 of the chopped chocolate.
6. Pour the mixture into the lined baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining nuts and chocolate, then dot with the sliced banana.
7. Place in the oven and bake for around 40 minutes until risen and golden.
8. Slice into squares and allow to cool slightly before eating.
9. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or the freezer for up to 1 month.

This recipe is part of a paid partnership with FutureLife®.

• 

• 

•