Baked Peanut Butter Banana Energy Bars

Need some inspiration when it's your turn to bring a team snack?  These protein - packed energy bars were a hit with my daughters' soccer team!  Little did they know that they contained no dairy, eggs, gluten, or refined sugar..muahahahaha!  The original recipe from Oh She Glows actually contained buckwheat groats, which I have yet to work with, and had walnuts which I omitted, but I replaced the Omega-3 hit of the walnuts, with the more easily hidden flax meal...these are 11 year old girls after all, so I also upped the chocolate appeal!  I may try them again following her recipe more strictly, but they turned out great regardless, using what I already had on hand!   The girls may not have won this particular game, but they had the energy needed for the game , and the rest of their day!

Baked Peanut Butter Banana Energy Bars

Recipe adapted from: Oh She Glows

2/3 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup oat flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

3 Tablespoons chia seeds

2 Tablespoons flax meal

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

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2 mashed bananas

1/2 cup natural smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup honey or agave

1 teaspoon pure vanilla 

Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8-inch square pan parchment paper.
Blend oats in blender or food processor until flour like texture is achieved.  Measure oat flour after blending.  (Make a bunch of oat flour all at once, and keep it at the ready in a jar in your pantry!).
In a medium mixing bowl, add oats, oat flour, coconut, chia seeds, flax, cinnamon, chocolate chips, and salt, whisk slightly with a fork.
In a separate bowl, mash bananas until smooth, and then add peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well until combined, and place batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until the edges are golden.  Cool in the pan, then remove and cut into bars.