This is a simple and wholesome banana cookie bar, a perfect on the go morning snack (as much as I hate the concept of food on the go). These dairy free banana bars are thin and light, with minimal fat (especially if you avoid the peanut butter icing) and have a texture which is chewy but still fairly light.
A sideline: Bananas were always one of those fruits which were very neutral in my mind; a take them or leave them sort of attitude prevailed. That is, until I visited South East Asia for the first time. I realised how divine a banana could be and I came to understand I'd never again appreciate a banana at home the way I could in a native environment. So I pretty much gave up eating bananas, saving them for cooking and the occasional smoothie.
Vegan Banana Bars Recipe
- Directions/Method
- Preheat your oven to 175° C (350° F). Lightly grease a 10 x 15 inch jelly roll tin.
- Mash the banana in a bowl until only small lumps remain and it's liquidy. Whisk into the sugar, apple sauce, margarine, yoghurt, and vanilla and mix until smooth-ish (a few lumps are fine).
- Add the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, and salt while slowly mixing until all of the ingredients are combined. Lick fingers multiple times.
- Spread the batter, which will be fairly thick, as well as possible across the entire jelly roll sheet. Use a spatula or your hands to make it as level as possible, but it really doesn't have to be perfectly even so don't fuss too much over this detail.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is just browned. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to, you guessed it, cool.
- To make the peanut butter icing, simply combine the icing sugar, peanut butter, and non dairy milk. The icing is quite stiff, so if you want a more spreadable consistency you will need to add some more liquid. Pipe the icing in random patterns over the banana bars, cut, and serve.