Most of us aspire to be healthy, and to live a long, vibrant life. In 2020 and 2021 these goals seem even more on point than ever before. While a complete recipe for wellness and vitality can vary from person to person, there is one consensus upon which most health experts agree: cutting back on junk food and unhealthy snacks is a meaningful step towards improving one’s well-being. To that end, I’d like to share a very simple, great tasting, easy-to-make option to the ever popular “bars” we now see everywhere. Unfortunately, bars that are marketed as “healthy” are often laden with refined sugars, preservatives, artificial ingredients, saturated fat, and excess amounts of sodium.
Using fewer than 10 ingredients and taking less than 45 minutes of your time, you can create these “Radical” Banana Chocolate Oat Bars. They’re chewy, chocolatey and deeply addictive, so don’t say we didn't warn you!
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 packet RDCL Super Cocoa
- 2 ripe bananas mashed to almost smooth liquid (use a fork or potato masher)
- 1 cup plant-based milk (unsweetened)
- 2 tbsp ground flax seeds/meal
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (optional after you try the initial mix - see below)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 355.
- Add all liquid (plant milk and vanilla) to the mashed bananas and mix well.
- Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well (by hand). Taste to check for sweetness. If desired, add maple syrup. If not, omit.
- Pour into a parchment lined (including sides) baking dish (not a flat sheet pan).
- Bake on 355 for 30 minutes (turning once) or until set - do not burn!
- Let cool, slice. Wrap well, individually. Will keep about 3 days wrapped on the counter and may be frozen (individually wrapped) if desired.
Please Enjoy!
By Jodie Kallas, Plant-Based Health & Wellness Coach
