Banana Nut Breakfast Bars

I’m sooo excited! I just can’t hidee it!! WWeeee!! My very first energy bar! Being one of those people who is always hungry and on the go, I’ve always been a fan of bars, but this is the first time I tried making them myself.

The idea hit me while I was home in the United States frequenting my beloved Trader Joes. That grocery store is my happy place. I could go on and on about the smell of freshly ground coffee in the air, the delicious samples, the wine and cheese tastings they do in the afternoons, and tasty treats they sell, like dark-chocolate-covered power berries and triple-ginger ginger snaps, but I’ll try to hold myself back here. What I really wanted to get at is their power bar aisle. That’s right. They basically have an aisle dedicated to energy and power bars: Cliff bars, Mojo bars, Builder bars, Balance bars, Luna bars, Think Thin bars. So many choices that your head is basically spinning.

Energy bars don’t seem to be a “thing” in Germany, though. Sure, they have sugary granola bars, you know, the kind that are essentially dipped in chocolate or yogurt. But they just don't fit the bill. They are mostly empty calories, simple carbs and sugar will just spike my blood sugar and leave me craving even more sweets about 20 minutes down the road. I wanted something that would actually stick to my ribs, keep me going and provide my body with nutrients. Plus, there is just some satisfaction that comes with actually knowing what you are eating and getting to select the ingredients yourself.

After digging around the internet for recipes and coming up with nothing, I just decided the best approach was some good ol’ trial-and-error baking. Much to my surprise, the first batch came out great! And they are oh-so good for you. I could not be happier!

What you get:

• Fiber: From the bran, oats and whole wheat flour
• Protein: From the assortment of nuts and seeds, oats and eggs
• Omega 3’s: From the nuts, seeds and flax seed
• Antioxidants: From the walnuts and almonds
• Vitamins & Minerals: Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Manganese, Thiamin

Health benefits:

Helps build muscle, regulate blood sugar and energy levels, lower bad cholesterol, maintain a healthy circulatory system and heart, stimulate brain function, help protect and repair the body from toxins that cause diseases, fight aging and improve the health of skin and hair.

Each bar is about 180 calories with 6 grams of protein and almost 6 grams of fiber.

Banana Nut Breakfast Bars
About 20-25 bars.

Ingredients:

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2 1/2 cups steel-cut oats
1 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup flaxseed
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds 
1 cup coconut shavings or flakes, unsweetened
1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup honey

Directions:

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1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). In a large bowl, mix all dry ingridents except the salt. In a smaller bowl, combine banana, salt, vanilla, eggs, melted coconut oil, applesauce and honey. Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and mix until evenly coated.

2. Line a baking pan with a large piece of parchment paper. Pour the mixture onto one side of the baking pan as a single batch of the mixture only covers about half of the pan.

3. Use a spatula to press the mixture down as best you can so that it is about 1-1/4-inches thick. To make sure your bars are packed down enough and to give the edges a bit of shape on the sides were they arn't touching the pan, I folded the edges parchment paper over and pulled it back over the bars and pressed down. You can also take a second sheet of parchment to put on top and roll over the bars with a rolling pin. Cut these edge off before baking otherwise the small amount of batter on the paper will burn.

4. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the edges start to become golden brown. Let cool for an hour, slide the parchment paper and bars off the baking pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into desired shape or, for extra crisp edges, refridgerate the bars for an hour before cutting them.