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.

Gluten-free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Holy geez! I'm on such a PB craving lately. I think that I dream about it. Must be something with the oncoming fall weather, because I'm wanting PB sauce on everything. Finally, I decided that some peanut butter cookies were in order. I found a recipe for flourless peanut butter cookies, but it used a TON of white sugar, and nothing else, and that's simply not my style. So, I dressed it up a bit to make it a little less sweet and a little more diet friendly to come up with this recipe! And so awesome that it's GF!!!

First, the ingredients:

1 cup natural peanut butter, crunchy or smooth (I used Trader Joe's salted crunchy natural)
1 extra large egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup GF old-fashioned oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 tsp GF baking powder (Rumsford and Clabber Girl are both GF)

Yield is about 8 cookies, so double or triple, if desired.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While the oven is heating, mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended.

After the ingredients are well-mixed, using a large spoon, ladle them onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until the tops are slightly dark. Allow to cool for one minute, then enjoy! These also keep awesome in the fridge!