The heart-healthy power bars have all the ingredients one might have on a banana split: made with quinoa, rolled oats, dried cherries, nuts and honey plus antioxidants from the cinnamon and chocolate – and they taste good too!

I got a copy of the Power Hungry: The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook^[1] and couldn’t decide which recipe I wanted to make first, they all look so good. Such a fun book, I asked them if they wanted to give some away to my fans and they said YES! So, three lucky winners^[2] will have a chance to win this cookbook, with loads of recipes for protein bars, granola bars, endurance bars, and even knock-offs of many store bought bars like Luna bars, Clif bars, and Kind bars to name a few. All the recipes are healthy, easy to make and use all natural ingredients. For a chance to win, visit Skinny Bits^[3] and leave a comment there.

These make a great snack, perfect to pack in your lunch bag, or great for powering up a workout or post-workout. While these bars weren’t a big hit with my picky 3 year old, I thought these were tasty (I think she’ll love the chocolate chip protein cookies). For variations of this, you can make a Maple Blueberry Bar, swapping out the cherries and honey for maple syrup and dried blueberries, or she suggests a Peanut Chocolate Banana Bar omitting the cinnamon and cherries and adding 2/3 cup of dry roasted peanuts in place of the walnuts.

To store, wrap them individually with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months, keeping them airtight. 

Banana Split Bars
gordon-ramsay-recipe.com
Servings: 16  • Size: 1 bar  • Old Points: 4 pts • Weight Watcher Points+: 4 pt
Calories: 143 • Fat: 4.5 g • Carb: 24 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 3.5 g • Sugar: 11 g
Sodium: 82 mg • Cholest: 12 mg

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed well
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups quick rolled oats (use gf oats for gluten free)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1-1/2 cups very ripe mashed bananas
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
• 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (or craisins)
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
 

Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with 2 pieces of foil or parchment paper, criss-crossing over so they fold over the pan; spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Combine the quinoa and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until liquid is barely absorbed. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 to 6 minutes, remove lid and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a medium bowl and let it cool completely.

Mix together the oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Add mashed bananas, egg, honey, oil and vanilla to the cooked bowl of quinoa and stir until just blended. Add the banana mixture to the oats mixture and stir until just blended. Mix in dried cherries, walnuts and chocolate chips.

Spread the batter evenly over the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. For best results, refrigerate 20 minutes before cutting.

Using the liner, lift the mixture from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 bars and refrigerate or freeze to store.

References

1. ^{^} Power Hungry: The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook (www.amazon.com)
2. ^{^} three lucky winners (www.skinny-bits.com)
3. ^{^} visit Skinny Bits (www.skinny-bits.com)