Chewy-Ewwy Granola Energy Bar

This is a modified energy bar from Mollie Katzen's Protein Bar recipe, found at {http://www.fabulousfoods.com}. I try to steer clear from dairy as often as possible and it was tough finding a granola/energy bar recipe that didn't use milk or yogurt. So I kinda took what I liked from this recipe and left what I didn't and added a few other things. It's a really great tasting bar that is egg-free and dairy free (except for the chocolate chips, use carob chips instead or just omit them altogether if you want a truly vegan bar) and packed with nutrition. They're pretty sweet so if you like a less sweet bar use less sugar, choose a less sweet nut butter, and/or substitute dried fruit and chocolate chips for nuts and carob chips. Eat one fresh out of the oven then freeze the rest in freezer zip-bags. Just make sure to defrost or warm them before eating. They're great for breakfast, gym snacks, workday pick-me-ups, and even after-school snacks (I'd bake them in a cookie shape for the latter purpose).

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 bars

Ingredients

• 2  cups oats
• 1⁄2 cup  oat bran
• 1⁄2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1⁄2 cup  ground almonds
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 3⁄8 cup sunflower seeds
• 1⁄8 cup flax seed
• 1⁄2 cup  milk chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
• 6  medium bananas, about 1 1/2 cups mashed
• 1⁄2 cup  natural-style peanut butter
• 2  teaspoons  natural vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and prepare a cookie sheet, either use a non-stick or spray a traditional sheet with non-stick spray.
2. Mash bananas in peel and set aside. This lets the natural sugars develop.
3. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. First toss oats, oat bran, whole wheat flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Add brown sugar and be sure to integrate it evenly in the mixture, use your CLEAN hands. Next throw in the sunflower and flax seeds, chocolate chips, and dried cranberries.
4. In a medium saucepan, over low heat, warm the peanut butter. Slowly add mashed bananas, stirring constantly and further mashing any banana meat that needs it. Add vanilla extract and leave on lowest heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. You don't want the butter and bananas to burn.
5. Add the banana mixture to the dry mixture and stir (or knead) until the two are fully integrated. It should create a sort of nutty dough.
6. Form the dough into 24 bars or logs approximately the size of store-bought granola bars. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the bars in for another 25 minutes.
7. Enjoy one or two and freeze the remainder in freezer bags.