Banana-Pear Chewy Granola Bars #Chiquita®Bananas

What kind of recipe would you put together if you had to include bananas, pears, and cinnamon? That was my challenge a couple of months ago when Chiquita® Banana had an awesome 8 week contest going on. I was slightly late to the party since I didn't even think about entering until week 7, but I gave it my all that week and entered at least 4 recipes. Can you even begin to imagine how excited I was when I won the grand prize for week 7?! Yup...here they are and they are healthy to boot: Banana-Pear Chewy Granola Bars!

These are so easy to make and really quite versatile. The mashed bananas, a little honey, and some dried fruit are all of the sweetness the recipe needs. I added some dried cranberries and blueberries, but any dried fruit would work. The flaxseed offers some awesome Omega-3's, but make sure you refrigerate the rest of the bag...those little seeds can spoil if they aren't stored correctly.

Chiquita® Banana-Pear Chewy Granola Bars 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

2   cups large flake rolled oats

1/2   cup coarsely chopped almonds

3   medium, very ripe Chiquita® bananas

1   Tbsp. coconut oil

2   Tbsp. honey

1   tsp. cinnamon

1/4   tsp. allspice

1/4   tsp. sea salt

1/4   cup flaxseed

1   Bartlett pear, peeled and diced

1/2   cup dried cranberries

1/2   cup dried blueberries

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both long sides of the pan. Set aside.

Spread the oats and the almonds on a large baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the oats are just starting to brown. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in the coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Fold in the flaxseed, pear, cranberries, blueberries, oats and almonds.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan, packing it down with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until firm and set. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift out of pan and continue to cool completely.

Cut into 12 bars.

I finally found a use for the baker's twine!

I've made these several times already, and keep them wrapped in parchment, in the fridge, and at the ready to grab for a quick breakfast or to bring to work as a snack. Not a bad start to some healthier eating, eh? 

Be sure to visit the Chiquita® Banana recipe page for some more awesome and healthy banana recipes....everything from smoothies, to banana bread, to...granola bars!

What is your favorite Banana recipe?

Appelbeignets (Dutch Apple Fritters)

Yum

Of course I have every intention of starting those New Year resolutions. Really. Healthier recipes are coming your way...a couple of them, at least. But c'mon. The whole year is looming ahead of us. There is plenty of time. Let's start the New Year right with another Dutch tradition: Appelbeignets!

A few years ago, I hauled out my Fry Baby (circa 1975...no kidding) to make Oliebollen. They are by all accounts a precursor to the modern day doughnut...fried balls of dough studded with raisins or chopped apple and rolled in sugar...all of Holland celebrates with them on New Year's Eve. I found them to be pretty awesome, but deep frying isn't my thing so I put the Fry Baby into storage. 

This year, a deal on cooking oil got me to thinking about those Oliebollen and how I've been wanting to try and make their better looking cousin, the Appelbeignet....literally a Dutch Apple Fritter. Out came the Fry Baby...

Just peel, core, and slice a few apples....

I searched around for a good recipe to use and I found several very similar ones. A few use a bottle of ale in the batter, but I didn't have any so I went the way of buttermilk.  To brighten things up, I decided to use a little orange zest, but otherwise the batter is pretty straight forward. Simply peel, core and slice some apples...I used a few Honeycrisp....and make a simple batter. Very easy.

Appelbeignets (Dutch Apple Fritters)

Printable Recipe

3 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest, divided

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

powdered sugar for dusting, if desired

Heat at least 2 cups of oil to 375 degrees F.

Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and 1/2 tablespoon orange zest. Sprinkle over the apples,

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat the egg into the buttermilk and stir in half of the orange zest. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour, stirring until combined. If the batter is too thick, add more buttermilk a teaspoon at a time to thin it out.

Dip the apple slices into the batter, covering completely. Carefully drop two or three slices into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

I couldn't decide if I wanted them rolled in cinnamon-sugar.....

.....or simple sprinkled with powdered sugar. I made them both ways.

What is your New Year tradition?

Next up: Good for you Banana-Pear Chewy Granola Bars!

A few years ago, my husband pestered me into calling his sister for his mom's recipe for Hermits. Carol was happy to comply, but apparently she couldn't read her own writing....it was a disaster! I had wanted to surprise his mom with one of her favorite Holiday cookies, since she wasn't able to bake anymore and had misplaced her copy of the recipe.

Fast forward to last Saturday morning. Both Carol and my mother-in-law are no longer with us, and Pete and I (feeling a bit nostalgic, I suppose) were bemoaning the fact that I never got a copy of the recipe. Later that morning, something compelled me to go upstairs and into the bedroom that was my mother-in-law's. We pretty much use it as a big closet now...I rarely go in there....but there I was checking to see if I could find one of my sweaters. I didn't see my sweater, but I did notice an old wicker basket Pete's mom used to keep various odds and ends...half empty nail polishes and such. I opened the lid and, lo and behold, folded into a square, there it was. The Hermit recipe. Coincidence? Maybe. I prefer to think that she is still looking out for us.

Just a list of ingredients...but I knew what it was. It was nice to see her handwriting.

I researched these cookies (trying to find a comparable recipe) and found many variations. It's an older American cookie, found in cookbooks from the mid to late 1800's. On the East coast, Hermits are most often made into a bar. These cookies are a simple, not too sweet, drop cookie with spices, raisins, and chopped walnuts. They actually taste better a few days after they are made.

Hermits

An American cookie found in cookbooks dating back to 1880, the Hermit comes in many variations. This version, a simple spicy drop cookie, tastes even better a few days after it is made.

Ingredients

• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Place the raisins in a small bowl. Boil one cup of water and pour over the raisins. Soak for one hour. Drain completely.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.; line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the brown sugar. Add the egg and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the milk and the vanilla.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just mixed. Fold in the drained raisins and the walnuts.
6. Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to brown. Cool completely. Makes 36 cookies

Yield: 36 cookies
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 12 mins.
Total time: 22 mins.

Wrap 'em up and give them as a gift...or just eat them yourself.

What is your favorite Holiday cookie?