Banana Bread Protein Bars

These Banana Bread Protein Bars are easy to make, healthy and delicious! Great for meal prep, after a workout or whenever you want a nutritious treat.

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It's time to get excited, I just found your new favorite snack. I am always looking for new snack recipes for me and my family and these will go on our weekly rotation.

If you are looking for some more recipes for bars, you will love these Slow Cooker Cherry Almond Bars, No Bake Cookie Dough Bars, Healthy Homemade Snickers and these Low Carb Coconut Fudge Bars.

All of these would be even more yummy with some Low Carb Bulletproof Hot Chocolate, Apple Chai Latte, Eggnog Latte and definitely some Spiked Apple Cider! 

Also, my cookbooks are both on sale now and would make a great gift! The Everything Wheat Free Diet Cookbook and The Greek Yogurt Cookbook are both the lowest prices I have seen!

Why You Should Make These Banana Bread Protein Bars

I love any type of make ahead snack. Sunday is always my meal prep day where I prep some meals for the week as well as make snacks for my kids and me.

It helps to keep me organized and with three busy kids, it also makes my life easier. I feel like my kids are getting even busier and busier these days and this helps me on track.

These are so yummy and chewy you won't even believe how healthy they are. Who says granola bars and protein bars have to be filled with junk and 20 ingredients that you can't pronounce?  

My kids always want some type of bar in their lunch boxes. That doesn't mean I never give them a store-bought bar, it just means that I try my best to make homemade ones that are somewhat healthier.

Recipe Tips

Meal prep is so important for maintaining weight loss. When you have healthy snacks and options in your house readily available, it will help to prevent you from eating snacks, junk or even the rest of your kids' leftovers.

Make sure you freeze your bananas when they are too ripe. Do not throw them away!

The minute you start seeing a lot of brown on the banana peel, simple unpeel them and store in a ziplock bag in your freezer. This way you are always repaired the next time you want to make these bars or banana bread.

Most of the bars that you can buy in the store are simply glorified candy bars marketed to the consumers to look healthy. There are a few that I like that only contain a few real ingredients, but the list of the ones I like is getting smaller and smaller these days.

Please remember not to only read the macros and calories on your ingredient label, PLEASE also read the ingredients!

It's very important. You just might find that your "energy bar" contains up to 20 grams of sugar. Now that's even MORE than some candy bars!

Protein Powders for These Banana Bread Protein Bars

You can use whatever protein powder you like, just make sure you read all the ingredients.  I used Sunwarrior Classic Protein Powder which is raw, organic, gmo-free, and free of any artificial flavors or colors.

I also like Vega Protein Powder Vega Protein Powder. It also is organic, gmo-free with all wholesome ingredients.

Just make sure you read the ingredients on your protein powder. Many of them have unnecessary additives and preservatives, as well as oils and sugars.

And many of the ones that claim to be sugar free contain artificial sweeteners that have shown to be dangerous to your health. I wouldn't take a chance with any of them.

Some examples of artificial sweeteners are: Sucralose, saccharin, Acesulfame K and Aspartame. If you see any of of these artificial sweeteners in your ingredients of anything you are about to eat or drink, try to avoid it.

And companies have become sneakier by trying to hide them under different names. Don't get fooled!

Related Recipes

Gluten Free Banana Raspberry Bread from Lauren Kelly Nutrition

Homemade No Bake Protein Bars from Gluten Free On A Shoestring

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread from Lauren Kelly Nutrition

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Banana Bread Protein Bars

These Banana Bread Protein Bars are easy to make, healthy and delicious. These yummy bars make the perfect breakfast or make ahead snack.

5 from 7 votes

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Course: brunch, Dessert, Snack, treat

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 bars

Calories: 138kcal

Author: Lauren Kelly

Ingredients

• ▢ coconut oil
• ▢ 3 ripe bananas mashed
• ▢ ¼ cup peanut butter almond butter or nut butter of your choice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ cup 100% maple syrup or raw honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 2 ¼ cups oats I used Gluten Free Quick Rolled Oats
• ▢ ¼ cup ground flax
• ▢ 2 scoops protein powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• ▢ ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• ▢ ¼ cup chocolate chips for drizzle *optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan with coconut oil. Place parchment paper on top and grease again with coconut oil leaving edges folded over the rim.
• In medium bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, peanut butter, vanilla and maple syrup until blended.
• In another medium bowl, mix together cinnamon, salt, oats, flax, protein powder and chia seeds until combined.
• Add ¼ cup chocolate chips and make sure they are mixed in. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
• Pour into greased pan and press down.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes until edges are browned. Allow to cool before removing from the pan.
• After cooled for 5 minutes, slice into 16 bars.
• Melt remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips in microwave and drizzle over top if desired.

Notes

To store in the refrigerator: Place in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

To store in the freezer: Place in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

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