Peanut Buttery Pretzel Granola Bars

Hello there!!

Hope all is well with you today!

Here's a nice and nutritious snack for those times when you're on the go or want to grab something other than that deliciously tempting chocolate chip cookie. We've all had those moments...*looks longingly at cookie*

Lots of protein to keep you satisfied and delicious peanut butter flavour with a hint of banana. 

Not overly sweet but just sweet enough!

These bars are more similar to the texture of a soft cookie bar than that of the average granola bar but that doesn't make then any less of granola bar! 

They're still oat-y and toothsome nonetheless. Just like a granola bar should be ;)

These are made with FOUR bananas which cuts out that unnecessary fat that sometimes find its way into granola. 

Friday has officially been dubbed "Monkey Night" by Caitlin and I. Our local grocer always has a considerably large pile of overripe bananas stocked up every Friday night.

ALSO, once while waiting in line to purchase our overripe bananas a man lines up behind us, also with bananas as his only purchase, and as we turn to see this he says, "Looks like a couple of monkeys are in town." Well Caitlin and I thought this to be quite funny and so ever since then Friday night has been referred to as "Monkey Night."

Here's an exceptionally large pretzel rod that came with the regular sized ones!

 

 

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

adapted from Family Fresh Cooking

Ingredients
2 cups toasted Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1/2 cup chopped and toasted Salted Peanuts
4 mashed very ripe Bananas
1 cup natural Peanut Butter
1/2 cup chopped Whole Grain or Gluten Free Pretzel
optional: Natural Sweetener to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚F with the rack in the middle. Lay peanuts and oats in a 9 x 13″ baking dish in a single layer. Bake for about 10 minutes until lightly toasted and golden brown. Set aside and let cool a bit.

Keep the oven set to 350˚F. Line the 9 x 13″ baking dish with parchment paper. Heat up peanut butter and mashed bananas in microwave or over the stove and stir well to combine. Let cool a few minutes. In a medium bowl combine the oats, peanuts and banana mixture. Fold in the pretzels. Taste granola and add any sweetener if desired. Spread the mixture evenly into the pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Your granola bars are done when the top is golden brown and the edges are a bit crispy. Let them cool so they are easy to handle, gently transfer to a cutting surface removing parchment paper and cut with a serrated knife or pizza cutter.