For this month, I decided to feature fruit I know well, bananas. I found a terrific website with a recipe for Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal Bars. Here is the link https://rachlmansfield.com/healthy-chocolate-chip-banana-bread-oatmeal-bars-vegan-gluten-free/
I was so impressed I bookmarked it, so I can try some of their other recipes.
Bananas are portable. They come prepackaged in beautiful yellow, green, or red skins that can easily be peeled back with your hands. They make an excellent snack and can be eaten raw, mashed, baked, or blended into smoothies. They are also delicious frozen.
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin C, fiber, carbohydrates, and vitamin B-6. They are a good source of prebiotics which promote gut health. They are low-fat and cholesterol-free. Bananas are high in resistant starch and have a relatively low glycemic index of 42-58. As bananas ripen, the proportion of water-soluble pectin increases – both pectin and resistant starch moderate the rise in blood sugar after a meal. Resistant starch and pectin are also important for colon health. Bananas contain the antioxidant flavonoids, dopamine and catechins that have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
There are mixed opinions about whether bananas are a healthy choice for people with type-2 diabetes. People with type-2 diabetes can benefit from moderate consumption of bananas that are not over-ripe. If you have a specific medical condition, such as type-2 diabetes, always check with your physician before making any dietary changes.
Back to the recipe. It’s vegan and gluten-free if you have dietary preferences or restrictions, but contains nut butter. There are no eggs, so no banks loans required to pay for the ingredients. It’s quick and easy to make.
I used half-peanut butter and half almond butter. I don’t use high sugar or high salt nut butters, so my oatmeal cookie bars weren’t overly sweet or salty like some oatmeal cookie recipes. I love the texture and taste of oatmeal cookies, but not the overly sweet ones. I also used vegan dark chocolate (70% Cocoa), so that limited the sweetness. This recipe will not leave you feeling like you licked a sugar bowl or a saltshaker. In fact, it has no added sugar or salt.
Another thing I like about this recipe (which is delicious as it is) is there is some flexibility with ingredients. If you have a serious sweet tooth, you can use milk chocolate or a nut butter with a higher concentration of sugar or salt.
For variety you could add raisins or other dried fruits, coconut flakes, and even nuts. I used hemp milk, but almond, cashew, or oatmeal milk would work well.
I will be making this recipe again!
The Twelve Months of Fruit (2025)
January – Fruit salad with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and grapes (No recipe link)
February – Pears - https://jessicainthekitchen.com/cinnamon-baked-pears-vegan-video/
March – Plantains - https://eatthegains.com/fried-sweet-plantains/ and Cuban Black Beans and Rice with Roasted Peppers and Plantains
April – Bananas - https://rachlmansfield.com/healthy-chocolate-chip-banana-bread-oatmeal-bars-vegan-gluten-free/