Quick, easy, and packed with wholesome nutrition, Gluten-Free 5-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Craisin Bars are the best grab-and-go breakfast/snack out there!
A new mom’s best friend? Easy 5-Ingredient Gluten-Free Banana Oatmeal Craisin Bars. For a multitude of reasons, deliciousness included.
Most importantly: these bars couldn’t be easier to make. And that’s coming from a sleep deprived new mom. If I can focus long enough – and have my hands free long enough – to whip up a batch of these without fail, I am CERTAIN that you can too. I mean, they’re only 5 ingredients. Because of these bars, 5 might just be my new favorite number. Not joking.
Perhaps I should just go ahead and rename these bars “life saving manna from heaven bars” because they have saved my life over the last couple of weeks. Zombie doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m feeling right now – but NOT COMPLAINING, because I’m pretty sure I’m one of THOSE moms who is convinced that even the blood-curdling screams that come out of her baby boy are the cutest screams a baby has ever screamed – so anything that’s quick, easy, and preferably healthy, is going into my mouth. I thought I knew that hangry was until I became a new mom. PHEW!
Oh, and did I mention they’re not only gluten-free, but completely oil-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar free?
Skinny jeans, here I come. (Well, hopefully one day soon at least!)
Bonus for moms with babes? Oatmeal is GREAT for milk production, so popping one of these in your mouth every hour on the hour is basically medically necessary. 😉
Side note: how does becoming a mom suddenly enable you to talk about things such as milk production completely non-chalantly? And don’t even get me started on my new-found lack of modesty. #momlife is weird y’all. I sincerely apologize to all of you who aren’t in the mom life stage and are probably 3,857,348% grossed out my comment above. I promise I’ll keep those to an absolute minimum from here on out 😉
Luckily I was smart enough pre-pregnancy to make a quick batch of these bars and pop them in the freezer.
** HIGH FIVES TO SELF**
Ok, smarts really had nothing to do with it – I was on a meal prep rampage for a solid week or two, so I’m pretty sure this was just a factor of me freezing literally anything and everything in my path. But we’ll call it smarts 😉
The good news? These miracle bars even freeze wonderfully! So if you have the time to whip up one batch, you might as well multiply it and make a triple or even quadruple batch. But for real. See note about life saving manna from heaven above 😉
While these bars might not be the sexiest, richest, or sweetest, they are the most wonderful healthy snack, and just about as wholesome as they come!
One bite and I’m 99% sure 5 will be your new favorite number too!
5-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Craisin Bars
- 3 large overripe bananas, mashed very well (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ⅔ cup craisins
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. After this, Line a 9×4 loaf pan with parchment paper or very lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, oats, and cinnamon. Stir in walnuts and craisins. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Press the batter into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan, packing it down tightly.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and uniform in color and texture. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into squares.
- Enjoy!
* To freeze, follow all of the directions above and then tightly wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe plastic bag, with as much air removed as possible. Best if eaten within one month.