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Banana Breakfast Bars are made with oatmeal and quinoa for a soft and chewy make-ahead breakfast or snack. They have the sweet and nutty flavors of classic banana nut bread, but are packed whole grains and protein. So this healthy gluten free breakfast bar recipe will keep you full and satisfied. Bake a batch and keep them in the freezer for busy mornings!
I like to pride myself on the fact that my kids are pretty good eaters and not super picky. However, they are kids, and there are a few healthy foods where I have to use my stealth cooking skills to get them to willingly dig in.
One of those is quinoa. Yes, my friends, I am a quinoa ninja.
A healthy helping of cheddar cheese plus a dunk in ketchup makes Cheesy Quinoa Bites a finger food fave. And what kid doesn’t love barbecue sauce and Ranch dressing? So Barbecue Ranch Quinoa Chicken Salad is actually a welcome addition to dinner.
But the best quinoa recipe for kids that I’ve ever found are these healthy breakfast bars. I’ve made Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Bars and Pumpkin Breakfast Bars, and these are happily devoured in the morning. I just tell the kids they are oatmeal breakfast bars. No need to mention the quinoa!
So I added another favorite fruit – bananas – and these might just be the all-time favorite quinoa breakfast bars I’ve ever made! I can even be super sneaky and get some dreaded spinach into their bellies by serving one with a blueberry smoothie.
Ninja Mom Skills!
Banana Breakfast Bars Recipe
These wholesome bars are super easy to whip up. Combine the dry ingredients, combine the wet ingredients, mix it all together, and bake. And they are good in the fridge for a week, and longer if you freeze them.
Perfect for a portable breakfast on-the-go. They are soft and chewy, but firm enough to hold together if you want to grab one on the way out of the house.
But my kids actually like to eat them on a plate slightly warmed with a bit of butter or even a drizzle of maple syrup or a smear of almond butter.
What do you need to make banana oatmeal breakfast bars?
INGREDIENTS:
- Quick cooking oats – gluten free, if needed
- Quinoa – cook quinoa using your favorite method and cool completely
- Baking powder
- Ground flax seed – you can purchase flax meal or grind flax seeds in your blender
- Cinnamon
- Honey – can also use maple syrup or agave
- Overripe bananas – mashed, you’ll need 2 or 3, depending on the size
- Egg – an egg, egg whites, or liquid egg or egg white substitute in this recipe and it will turn out fine. Use the equivalent of one egg or two egg whites.
- Almond butter – you can also use another nut butter or sunflower seed butter
- Vanilla extract
- Walnuts – chopped, and lightly toasted, if desired
MAKE THEM NUT-FREE: use sunflower seed butter for the almond butter and omit the walnuts or substitute with pumpkin seeds if you’d still like that bit of crunch. Or try chocolate chips!
EQUIPMENT:
- 9-inch square baking pan
- parchment paper – lining your baking pan with parchment the bars much easier to remove once they are cooled so you can cut them into nice squares.
- two bowls
- whisk
- spatula
- serrated knife – using a serrated knife and cutting with a gentle sawing motion will give you the cleanest cut.
How to make Banana Quinoa Breakfast Bars
- In a large bowl, toss together the oats, quinoa, baking powder, flax seeds, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, whisk together the honey, banana, egg, almond butter, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until mixed thoroughly to form a thick batter.
- Fold in the walnuts.
- Pour batter into a 9×9 in. square baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350°F for 25 – 35 minutes.
BRIANNE’S PRO TIP: You’ll know they are done when they are browned on the top and feel firm when you press in the middle. - Remove and cool completely in the pan.
- Slice into bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days, or freeze to keep longer.
Brianne’s Banana Breakfast Bars Recipe Pro Tips
How much dry quinoa do you need to make 1 cup of cooked quinoa?
Quinoa typically triples in volume when you cook it. So if you want to make exactly 1 cup of cooked quinoa, you will want to cook 1/3 cup dry quinoa in 2/3 cups of water or other liquid.
However, I recommend making a bigger batch because you can keep it in the fridge for up to a week and use it in a number of other recipes like Berry Banana Quinoa Yogurt Parfaits or Mango Avocado Quinoa Chicken Salad.
How do you cook quinoa?
This recipe uses cooked and cooled quinoa. You can see how to cook quinoa using the stove, microwave, slow cooker, rice cooker, or Instant Pot.
Or simply follow the package instructions. Typically you’ll rinse the quinoa, add to a pot with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. To cool it quickly, spread it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
How do you store oatmeal breakfast bars?
You can keep the bars at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or so, but I would recommend storing them in the refrigerator where they will last several days to a week.
Can oatmeal breakfast bars be frozen?
Yes, these bars are freezer-friendly. Store them in a plastic freezer storage bag or an airtight container, removing as much of the air as possible. Kept frozen, they will be good for up to two months. If you leave them longer then that, they are still safe to eat. But the quality and flavor may be affected.
It is not necessary to individually wrap the bars. But to keep them tasting their best, I would recommend wrapping or packaging them in groups of two to four.
More healthy make-ahead breakfast recipes
- Mini Zucchini Carrot Muffins or Mini Gluten Free Zucchini Carrot Muffins
- Frozen Oatmeal Cups
- Ham, Broccoli and Cheese Egg Muffins
- Sweet Potato Hash Egg Cups from Fit Foodie Finds
More healthy banana snacks
- Banana Peanut Butter Energy Balls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Banana Snacks
- Chocolate Pudding Snack Hack
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars Recipe
A healthy breakfast doesn’t get any easier than these banana breakfast bars. Just mix everything together together and bake. Enjoy them warm out of the oven, store them in the fridge to grab on-the-go or keep them in the freezer for busy mornings. Since they are packed with wholesome ingredients like oatmeal, quinoa, and flax seeds, you know you have plenty of fiber and protein to stay satisfied. And the sweet and nutty flavors of banana nut bread will make your tastebuds happy too!
Banana Quinoa Breakfast Bars
Ingredients
- 1½ cups quick cooking oats
- 1 cup cooked quinoa , cooled to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large)
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoons almond butter or other nut butter or sunflower seed butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted if desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 in. square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa, baking powder, flax seed, and cinnamon and stir until evenly distributed.
- In another bowl, whisk together the honey, banana, egg, almond butter, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until mixed thoroughly to form a thick batter.
- Fold in the walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.
- Bake on the center rack of the oven for 25 – 35 minutes until the bars are golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Remove and cool completely in the pan. Slice into bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days, or freeze to keep longer.
Notes
Did you make this?
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Enjoy!
