½cupraisins, chopped dates, dried cherries, or dried fruit of choice
2 ½cupsold fashioned rolled oats
½cupalmond flour
1 ½tsp.baking powder
4tsp.sunflower seeds
1TBpumpkin seeds
1tsp.flax seeds
Optional Icing Drizzle
½cuporganic powdered sugarsifted
1.5tsp.lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 1 nine-inch square pan(s) with parchment paper.
Put 1 cup firmly packed extra ripe banana, 1 cup homemade nut milk, 1 TB cinnamon, ½ tsp. sea salt, and 1 TB vanilla in a blender. Blend on high until very smooth.
Place the blended banana mixture in a large bowl. Sprinkle evenly with ½ cup raisins, chopped dates, dried cherries, or dried fruit of choice. Add 2 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats and ½ cup almond flour. Sift 1 ½ tsp. baking powder over top. Stir well with a large spoon. The mixture will be loose and fluffy once baking powder is incorporated.
Pour into parchment-lined baking dish. Level top with a spatula and sprinkle with 4 tsp. sunflower seeds, 1 TB pumpkin seeds, and 1 tsp. flax seeds. Press seeds down gently.
Bake 25-30 minutes until top is firm.
When baking dish is cool enough to handle, lift baked oatmeal out with parchment paper to a cooling rack. Cool completely and cut into bars as desired.
Optional frosting
Mix ½ cup organic powdered sugar with 1.5 tsp. lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled oat bars and allow to dry.
Notes
Recipe Tips
My favorite dried fruits for these bars are dates, raisins, and dried cherries. Surprisingly, dried blueberries had an odd taste. However, feel free to experiment and find your own favorite dried fruit, and seed or chopped nut toppings.
These bars freeze beautifully. If you choose the frosted version, freeze the frosting and bars separately. Then thaw and frost bars just before eating.