These bars are simple, satisfying, and super moist with just the right amount of sweet. They’re perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up or a sweet treat after dinner. You could also swap the chocolate chips for blueberries and eat this for breakfast.

To celebrate our peanut butter drive for Interchange Food Pantry, I’ll be sampling these at the food pantry and sharing them with guests on Saturday, May 2 when we volunteer to hand out the peanut butter donations we’ve collected.

Thank you for helping spread the (peanut butter) love!

Ingredients:

• 2 mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1.5 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup oat flour or oat bran*
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Chocolate chips (as many as your heart desires; I always opt for dark chocolate chips)
• Flaky sea salt (optional for topping)

*To make oat flour, simply process oats in the food processor or blender and voila, you have oat flour. You can also use oat bran– it’s high in soluble fiber, which is great for managing high cholesterol.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Whisk together the bananas, almond milk, peanut butter and egg in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients.
4. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and pour in the mixture.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Once cooled, top with flaky sea salt (optional).

With summer approaching, we are teaming up with the Interchange Food Pantry to host a Peanut Butter Drive.  Since many children rely on free school breakfasts & lunches, summer can be a time when they go hungry and peanut butter can be an easy shelf-stable protein.

Summer break shouldn’t mean a break from healthy food options.  Help us keep kids full this summer by dropping off some creamy peanut butter to the office at Lakeside, or by donating directly to the Interchange Food Pantry. For every $5 donated, we can provide three jars of peanut butter to kids in our community!

Food is not only nourishment; food is love; food is community. Thank you for your support!