Healthy Banana Oat Bars and Stevia Giveaway!

This recipe came from Amy Green’s Simply Sugar and Gluten Free cookbook.  I LOVE her recipes!  (and she’s pretty fantastic too!)


A LOT of her recipes use Stevia. ( a natural, no calorie, healthy sugar alternative)

STEVIA DRAWING CLOSED - 5/16  Winners announced on the 20th.
I am a HUGE fan of stevia, in fact I use it on everything from my oatmeal to plain yoguert to all my baked goodies!  NuNaturals Stevia Company (they happen to be my favorite brand) contacted me to do a giveaway for them.  I figured if it means my readers could get FREE things sent directly their doorstep COUNT ME IN.  ( blog reader love, thanks you guys)

What you will win:  one (1) box of our NuStevia Packets, 50 ct. Box,  AND one (1) bottle of NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid, 2 oz. bottle

Here is how to win: (Continental U.S. residents only)


1. Please leave a comment below

2. You don't need to be a follower or subscriber to enter the contest but while you are here (hee,hee), take a look around and if you like what you see and decide to become one, (or are one) please leave a separate comment letting me know as this will give you your second entry.

Good luck my friends! 

If you would just like a few free stevia packets sent to you in the mail, on top of entering this giveaway see bottom of post.

I guess technically you’re not suppose to just copy a recipe from a cookbook and put it on your blog.  You’re suppose to tweak it just a little for it to be OK.  So, I increased the salt by 1/8 tsp. (I like my deserts with a little extra salt I guess!) and  I added chocolate chips to the top.  Honestly I think it would taste better just plain, or try butterscotch chips, that would be yummy.  Of course keeping it sugar and gluten free just do it “as is”.

Banana Oat Bars
Taken and slightly adapted from Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free by Amy Green.

Makes 16 (2 x2 inch) bars

½ cup pitted Medjool dates
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats, divided (not quick-cooking, and if you aren’t gluten sensitive you can use regular oats)
½ cup walnuts (I used almonds)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (original said 1/8 tsp.)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons grade-B maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1 large ripe banana, sliced
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chips (chocolate, carob, or butterscotch) is optional. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly mist an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
In a medium heatproof bowl, cover the dates with hot water. Set aside. Or, cover, the dates with water and microwave for 45 seconds.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process 1 ½ cups oats for several minutes until you have a coarse oat flour. Add the remaining ½ cup oats, the walnuts or almonds, baking soda, and salt. Pulse 10-12 times, for 1 second each, until the walnuts and oats are chopped but not fine. Add the applesauce, maple syrup, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Process until a dough forms. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the dates to the food processor, reserving the soaking liquid; there’s no need to wash the processor bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the soaking liquid, the banana, lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and the nutmeg. Pulse several times to combine, then process until smooth. The paste should be thick but still liquid. Add a little more soaking liquid as needed.

While the food processor is running, use wet hands to press two-thirds of the dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Once the banana paste is smooth, spread it evenly across the dough. Break the remaining dough into marble-size pieces, sprinkle them across the banana paste, and lightly press in.
Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the oat topping is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

These also freeze well.

UPDATE: I also made these as APPLE OAT BARS!

Instead of using the banana/date paste in the middle I thinly sliced apples and softened them in a pan of boiling water (about 15 minutes cooking time)  I added the tsp. of lemon rind but because I used granny smith apples (very tart!) I didn’t add any more lemon juice.  It was FANTASTIC!  So it’s up to you. Are you in the mood for a banana date flavor (almost like Fig Newtons) or an Apple Oat flavor.  OH, how about a cranberry oat bar!!!!

Have fun and make this recipe your own!  (Amy always tells us to, “make the recipe our own”)

  APPLE OAT VERSION :

 
I think you are in for a treat with these.  ENJOY!


Continental U.S. readers  can receive " FREE SAMPLES " of our NuStevia Packets by sending a SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED, # 10 envelope to us at the following location :

NuNaturals , Inc.
2220 West 2nd. Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR 97402

If ordering directly from www.nunaturals.com enter  CODE :  BLG531 for 15% off your order!