The BEST granola bars ever!!!

   My hubby and I help with the youth at our church. We are part of a six person team, 3 men and 3 of us ladies. It works well because we each have our own strengths. Mine? Cooking and feeding people! So, we had a youth event and when we were done we had 3 bunches of over ripe, left over bananas. I hate to see food go to waste. I have challenged myself to use these bananas.
   On Sunday, I made banana pudding and banana angel food cake. Both super yummy. Yesterday, I made peanut butter and banana granola bars, using this recipe, well...sort of ;) Here's what I did...

Ingredients:
1-2/3 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup white or wheat flour (I used wheat)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt (I always use just a little less)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla powder (I added this, I told you I can't follow a recipe)
2-3 cups mix ins (I used 1/3 wheat germ, filled my 1/3 cup measuring cup about 3/4 full of flax seeds then topped it off with chia seeds, 2/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup chocolate chips)
1/4 cup honey (spray measuring cup first with cooking spray and it won't stick)
2 TBSP. oil (I used grape seed, it was what I had)
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I used homemade, the recipe for that is here)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
-Mix dry ingredients
-Mix wet ingredients (I made my peanut butter first, so I just threw the bananas in my blendtec so as to not waste any peanut butter still left in there, plus the bananas came out super creamy)
-Mix these together
-Press firmly and evenly into parchment lined pan
-Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes (I baked for 30 minutes, turned the oven off, let them sit in there for a few minutes, then moved them to the kitchen table to cool)
***Cool completely before cutting into bars***
Store in air tight container in fridge (I left them on a plate, covered with a paper towel last night because they were still a little soft and I wanted them to crisp up a bit more, but I will refridgerate them tonight...if there are any left)

All the dry ingredients.

Mixing the wet and dry ingredients together.

In the lined pan, made removal very, very easy.

I pulled the liner up and out came the whole thing. Then I just cut them up.

Aren't they pretty? They tasted even better than they look!

 

 

   Three of my kids loooooooooooooooooooooooooved them. My youngest son did not. I should mention that he doesn't like anything I cook though. I had to stop myself after eating 1 myself and then, of course, finishing the one my son didn't want. Hubby came home ate 2. My brother stopped by, ate 2 and asked for the recipe, so he can make them for his son.I'm telling you these things are deliciousness! I'd like to try it replacing the bananas with applesauce and the chocolate chips with raisins. When I do I'll let you know how they turn out.