Banana-Pecan Oatmeal Squares

So remember the banana-cranberry butter that I made the other day? Here is a fabulous way to use it!

These squares are mind-blowingly good, and although there are a lot of steps, they are pretty easy. These would be perfect for a lunchbox snack, bake sale, or even a quick breakfast pastry!

Adapted from ohsheglows

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp milk

1 cup banana-cranberry butter
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (I used walnuts, but I think that pecans would be better)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter. While it's melting, combine the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, butter, molasses, milk, and extract of your choice. When mixture is frothy, combine with the dry mixture. Grease an 8 x 8 pan, and pour in the mixture, reserving a 1/4 cup. 

Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven. Top with the banana butter, the reserved mix, and nuts. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes or so, then place in the freezer for 45 minutes to set the butter. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature. Store in the fridge.

Banana-Cranberry Butter

I'm beginning to have a problem. I'm becoming obsessed with fruit butters. The idea of cooking down fruit into a delicious, sweet, low-calorie way to add flavor is very appealing. Unfortunately, fruit butters seem to be more of an East Coast and Midwest thing, and where I live they are expensive and tough to find, particularly without the dreaded HFCS. After a little internet searching, it turns out that they are actually quite easy to make, and the inevitable follows: fruit that I need to use + inspiration = sometimes great results! And this was a great result!

This banana butter is very simple to make, takes about 15 minutes to prepare, and is delicious on pancakes, peanut butter sandwiches, and pretty much anywhere else that you would use bananas! 

Yield is about 1.5 cups

Ingredients:

4 bananas (very brown is best!)

1 cup brown sugar or sucanat

4 tbsp cranberry juice

1 tbsp cinnamon (more to taste)

Peel and cut the bananas, then dump into a bowl and blend with an immersion blender, or use a regular blender and blend until smooth. 

Dump the mixture into a saucepan, and add the remaining ingredients. Heat and stir until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. 

Pour into a clean, airtight container. Keeps for about a week in the fridge. I do not recommend canning this recipe.