Banana Bread Granola

Banana Bread Granola - Food & Nutrition Magazine - Stone Soup
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The problem: Added sugars are often hidden in “healthy” foods such as flavored Greek yogurt, fortified cereals and granola bars.

What’s so bad about that? Added sugar is a source of added calories with zero nutritive value! One of the leading causes of weight gain and childhood obesity is eating too many calories, often sourced from added sugars. In fact, kids and teens are getting an average of 200 to 400 extra calories each day from added sugars!

The solution: Reduce added sugars in your diet. Try this recipe for No Added Sugar Banana Bread Granola, made — you guessed it — without any added sugars, Banana Bread Granola - but with plenty of flavor.


No Added Sugar Banana Bread Granola

Recipe by Chelsea Gloeckner

Ingredients

  • 3 large bananas, very ripe
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 to 4 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup walnuts halves and pieces
  • ¾ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • ½ cup golden raisins (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Blend bananas, coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, allspice, cloves and nutmeg until smooth.
  3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in rolled oats and walnuts until well combined. Spread evenly into a 14-by-10-inch jelly roll baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove from oven and “flip” granola into large clusters: slide a large spatula under the partially baked granola and flip it over in pieces to break up the granola. Place pan back in oven bake for an additional 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven for a second time, flip and toss granola into smaller pieces. Place pan back in oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven for a third time, flip and toss granola into even smaller pieces. Place pan back in oven and bake for a final 5 minutes.
  7. Remove granola from the oven. Fold in coconut flakes and raisins, if using.
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Chelsea Gloeckner
Chelsea Gloeckner is a student in Mount Mary University's Coordinated Program of Dietetics and is also pursuing her master's degree. She owns a nutrition coaching business called VICTAE.