Banana Blueberry Bars Made Sugar & Flour-free!

If you have a sweet tooth but prefer the wholesome, jaw-dropping delicious, but never-over-the-top sweetness from fresh fruit, you're going to love this treat.

It was six years ago that I wrote my second-ever dessert recipe: Banana Blueberry Bars! They've been a favorite ever since.

As delicious as they are, I've decided to recreate this recipe, so they're even more wholesome! I like to say they're lighter and brighter!

The new Banana Blueberry Bars call for whole oats that are very minimally processed rather than the fully ground oat flour used in the previous version.

I love this upgrade because it means the bars are less calorie dense, and you will be less likely to overeat this flour-free treat.

Try them out for yourself and see what you think!

Do the Lighter and Brighter Banana Blueberry Bars make the cut?

Banana Blueberry Bars

By Chef Katie Mae

Makes 18 bars | Ready in 45 minutes | Stores 1 week in fridge

INGREDIENTS

• 4 dates, pitted (3 oz) (optional)
• 3 tablespoons ground flax seeds (1 oz)
• ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR ½ vanilla bean, diced
• 3 ripe bananas (12 oz)
• 2 cups rolled oats, divided (6 oz)
• ¾ cup walnuts (2 oz) (optional)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (9 oz)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, making sure the sides are covered. Cut slits in the corners of the paper so that it overlaps and lies flat.
2. Add the dates, flax seeds, cinnamon, and vanilla to a food processor. Pulse a few times, so the dates are partially broken up. Add the banana and pulse a few times.
3. Then add the oats and pulse twice. Add the walnuts and pulse once. Add the blueberries and pulse once last time, so the blueberries are broken down as little as possible.
4. Using a spatula transfer the batter to the baking pan and spread it out to the corners. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until the bars are golden brown and cooked to your liking (the longer they cook for the dryer the bars will be). Remove the pan from the oven, carefully lift the parchment paper out of the pan and set it on a cooling rack or cutting board. Let it sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

CHEF'S NOTES

Instead of using the dates as a whole food sweetener, leave them out and add 3 extra ounces of blueberries. One BLE serving is 1/6 of this recipe or about 3 bars. It should be counted as 4 oz cooked grain, 4 oz fruit, and ½ oz fat.