✓ Gluten-Free
✓ Dairy-Free
✓ Nut-Free
Back when I worked in a health food shop, one of our most popular products were the Banana Bread Paleo Bars by the Blue Dinosaur company. These bars would walk themselves off the shelf, but at $3.95 a piece, I decided to see if I could recreate them at home.
These Banana Bread Bites are my take on those delicious bars. They’re very energy dense, banana-ry and quite sweet, so you only need a small piece or two to satisfy a craving. Although I think this recipe would be delicious with some walnuts or natural peanut butter blended through, I’ve kept it nut-free, so those with allergies or children at nut-free schools can enjoy them as well. Like other treats made with dried fruit (such as raw balls and date slice), these Banana Bites do contain some natural sugars, so it’s best to stick to a smaller (more blood-sugar-friendly) serving.
Just a quick note: By ‘dried bananas’ I mean the bizarre, chewy, snake-looking, naturally dried bananas you can buy at Source Bulk Foods, and most health food shops – not the dried banana chips you see in supermarkets. I’ve included a photo of them below the recipe so you know what to look out for. Try to find ones that are free from preservatives and added sugar.
Ingredients
2 Medjool dates, pitted
300g desiccated or shredded coconut
200g dried bananas (for me, this equated to around 6 dried bananas)
1 tsp cinnamon (you can add more if you like it very cinnamon-y)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
Method
- Chop the dried bananas into small pieces (approximately 1-2cm long) – This helps them blend better.
- Add all ingredients to a high powered blender or Thermomix and blend until well-combined and slightly sticky. You can add extra coconut if the mixture is too wet, or extra bananas/dates/coconut oil if too dry (this will depend on how dry your fruit was to begin with).
- Press into a lined loaf pan or roll into balls. Refrigerate for an hour or so to help the mixture set.
- Store in the refrigerator and enjoy for morning tea, as an after-school snack, or a sweet treat after dinner.
Note: I topped mine with walnut halves and a sprinkle of cinnamon for decoration, but you could also use coconut, almonds, macadamias or simply leave them bare.
Enjoy!
