Banana-Walnut Oat Bars (Sugar, egg and butter free)

Because we love healthy baking... and there is always a spare ripe banana!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups of mashed overripe bananas
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (anti-oxidant and omega-3 rich with many cardiovascular benefits!)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt

 Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.

Combine mashed banana ground flaxseeds, water and salt in a big bowl, stir well. Add the oats and mix everything. Fold it into a greased (with coconut oil) shallow baking tray, spread and press well with you fingers.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

Cut it into squares, re arrange it on a cookie sheet upside down. Put it back into the oven and bake it for another 15 minutes. Turn the pieces over and bake for another 5 minutes for both the sides to be nice and brown.

Let it cool completely and store it in an air tight container for up to a week.

This recipe is can also be gluten free if you use GF Oats in it, you can replace walnuts with any other nuts of your choice. Instead of 1/2 cup water you can always use 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup water.  If you are like me (a poor uni student :P) and don't have ground flaxseeds at hand, substitute some water for oil as the ground flaxseed oils would help combine the slice. Omitting the flaxseeds will make the slice more bland so you may like to add different chopped nuts or even sesame seeds or poppy seeds, maybe even some cinnamon or nutmeg? or one of my favourites... natural peanut butter :)