My babies had a little bit of a rough start in the world, so we’ve been extra cautious about keeping them healthy. We’ve been diligent about hand-washing, made sure that everyone who comes to visit isn’t sick, and we’ve avoided taking the babies anywhere except the doctor’s office and on walks around our neighborhood. But wouldn’t you know it- they got sick. Asha was first and then about a week later it was Ravi’s turn. It was nerve-wracking and completely exhausting, but I’m happy to report that they’re back to normal now, happy and growing like weeds.
Given all that’s been going on, I haven’t been out much. I’m eager for flu season to pass so that I can feel good about getting us all out of the house. For now, I’m happy with our walks around the neighborhood and baking. I’ve been taking turns putting the babies in a pack and baking with them. They both love the movement and they love to look up at the lights on the kitchen ceiling. I love having them close to me while having my hands free to be productive (if you call baking while trying to lose the baby weight productive).
Last week I experimented with granola bars and I came up with this recipe for Banana Chocolate Walnut Granola Bars. They turned out great and would be perfect for taking on a long day hike or a backpacking trip. Or if you’re in my shoes, just eat them with a giant cup of coffee and a baby or two in your lap.
Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Yield
12 barsPrep Time / Cook Time
/Activity Guide
Backpacking, Day TripIngredients
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, plus more for greasing the pan
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup banana chips
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Tools
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Small pot
Method
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with coconut oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, crispy rice cereal, walnuts, and banana chips.
- Place the coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, salt and vanilla in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for about a minute and then pour over the oatmeal mixture. Stir well, add the chocolate chips, and stir again.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. With wet fingers, press the mixture into the pan so that the top is even. Bake for 30 minutes. The bars should be golden brown.
- Let cool completely and cut into bars.
This have become a household staple. Thanks!
I had made granola bars dozens of times and never used the same recipe twice, but this recipe earned the highest honors at my house, a repeat baking! I added walnuts for an extra delight, but the bars come out terrific both ways.
What is the best way to store these and how long do they keep?
@Terri If you can, store them in a tupperware-like container. A zip-top bag works too, but they are soft so they might get smashed. I’m guessing they’ll keep for a week or so, but they’ve always been eaten up faster than that when I’ve made them so I can’t be sure!
Made these the first time forgetting to add the chips AFTER the hot stuff. Family liked it so much they insisted I make the “chocolate” granola bars from then on. Oh well!
@Tonya, haha, thanks for sharing. Sometimes the best thing to happen to our recipes is for someone to do something “wrong.”
Do the banana chips have to be dehydrated? Or can fresh ripe banana chips be used?
Hi Kurt! Yes, you need to use the dry banana chips- the crunchy kind. Hope that helps!
Delicious! I had some bananas going off and dehydrated them into chips. I also increased the salt to 1t (because yum) and I used some really dark buckwheat blossom honey. These are fantastic!
So glad to hear you liked them. I’ll never argue that a little extra salt is a bad idea!