Chocolate Chip Banana Cake Bars

Pin It Another awesome use for over ripe bananas!  These bars are a cross between banana bread and chocolate chip cookies.  It definitely has a more cake-like consistency than banana bread or muffins.  It makes a great breakfast or fast snack with a glass of milk.  I made a pan of these for work and they were gobbled up quite quickly.

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
Original Recipe from Onesie Twosie
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium sized bananas, mashed
1 large egg
1 1/2 - 2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a jelly roll pan (or 9x13 pan for thicker bars).
2. Beat butter and both sugars until creamy.  Add bananas, vanilla and egg.  Mis until smooth.
3. Slowly add flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Spread mixture into pan. Optional: Sprinkle top with brown sugar
6. bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Pin It I've been on an instant oatmeal streak lately.  It fills me up and I like a warm breakfast on chilly mornings.  Then I stumbled upon a recipe for peanut butter banana bars on Pinterest.  I decided to try it out, but tweaked it a bit to make it healthier and tastier.  You really don't taste the peanut butter or banana.  I would describe these as a chewy chocolate chip granola bar with a hint of cinnamon.  You won't even notice the flax seed, but it adds some extra protien.  Don't let the long ingredient list scare you.  This recipe is super simple.  I don't think you can mess it up.

These bars don't last long at my house.  I snack on them throughout the day.  They are moist, tasty, healthy and very filling.  One serving keeps me full until lunch time.  Enjoy!

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 large egg)
2/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chocolate chips**
1/3 cup chopped pecans**

**optional - or add your favorite mix -in - raisins, cranberries, walnuts...the list goes on and on

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix bananas, egg, milk, vanilla, sugar and peanut butter.
3. Add oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix until well combined.
4. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
5. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 pan.  Sprinkle brown sugar on top.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.