Peanut Butter Banana Muffins and Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

When you have teenagers (and young adults) who have an endless stomach, you have to have snacks on hand. Trying to make them healthier snacks that are also tasty can sometimes be tough, but I found 2 recipes this weekend that everyone agreed were hits.

The first recipe I tried was Peanut Butter Banana Muffins. Really easy to make with ingredients I already had on hand. Doubling it was easy too, because I knew if they were a hit, I'd have to make more anyway!

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ripe bananas, mashed
6 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 10 muffin tins with either muffin cup papers or lightly spraying with vegetable oil.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Mix the banana, peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, and egg together in another bowl.

Mix the wet mixture into the dry and stir until just combined.

Fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Next on the snack list was trying my hand at homemade granola. We all love it, but it can get pricey to buy too often, so why not make it? I looked over lots of different recipes online and found one at honestcooking.com that sounded pretty good....and it was super easy and delicious.


Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

2 cups oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or other spices as desired (cardamom, nutmeg, etc.)
2-1/2 cups additions:  Dried fruit, seeds, nuts, flax meal, bran cereal, puffed rice cereal, crushed pretzels, chocolate chips...whatever you like. (I used chocolate chips, raisins, and black walnuts)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
6 Tablespoons olive oil, canola oil, other oils....or melted butter (I used butter)
1/4 cup honey, maple syrup, or Agave syrup
1 Tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Depending on desired thickness, line a square (8x8 or 9x9) or rectangular (9x13) baking dish with parchment paper (aluminum foil works too), then lightly grease the paper with a non-stick cooking spray, oil, or butter. Thicker bars are a little more decadent, if you're planning on using this as a dessert.

Process 1/3 cup of the oats in a blender or food processor until finely ground.

If necessary, chop up dried fruit and nuts.

Stir together all dry ingredients (oats, ground oats, sugar, salt, cinnamon, fruits/seeds/nuts).

Whisk together wet ingredients (oil/butter, honey, peanut butter, and water).

Mix together wet and dry ingredients and then spread in the pan. Press firmly into the corners and edges so the top is even.

Bake for around 30 minutes or until the top starts to brown. Thicker bars will likely take longer, so you'll need to watch them, depending on how much batter you've spread in what size pan. The edges will become deep golden, and they may feel underdone in the center, but that's okay. They'll firm quite nicely as they cool.

Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes, then take them out of the pan using the parchment paper/foil. Let cool completely before cutting.