Frozen Banana Cream Granola Bars

I made these a couple months ago when it was still winter here. I had planned on sharing them sooner but decided to wait until it warmed up to share them. When I heard this weeks theme for Foodie Friday was bananas I knew I had to post these!! Stay tuned I also have another version posting!

I know it is winter but ice cream and cold treats are still an acceptable dessert or treat! Plus they are easy to make when the temps are sub zero out and you have a whole extra big freezer! While going through the cupboards after the holidays, we always have so much food and things I didn’t buy end up in our house, I found a few bags of granola I had bought to take on our trip to Ireland last summer that got put in the back of a cupboard other than our cereal cupboard and forgot about that were going to expire. I wasn’t going to let that happen! We also had a bunch of bananas that had to be used up and a couple bags of frozen ones already in the freezer where we always put ripe bananas we aren’t able to eat to enjoy in smoothies later. So I took our love for smoothie bowls with granola and made bars, Frozen Banana Cream Granola Bars! I could have just made smoothie bowls topped with granola but these were fun and I can make a few different flavors cut them and keep them on hand in the freezer and I don’t have to wake the kids with the blender late at night or early in the morning. Yes I said morning, I enjoy them or a protein version of these, in the morning as a pre or post workout treat. Just pull then out and put one in the refrigerator before my workout and enjoy it after. The girls love them to and can just pull one out of the freezer for a snack. For a delicious healthy treat they even top them with some caramel sauce, or chocolate, depending on the flavor nut butter we use to make them or what we add to them. With so many nut butter and granola choices the options are endless.

Frozen Banana Cream Granola Bars

Makes 8 servings, 9×5 loaf pan or 8 standard muffin tins

1/4c peanut or nut butter (used Kolat Dark Chocolate Coconut Superfood Fusion Almond Butter)

1/4c coconut oil, melted

2c granola (used Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grains Granola, gluten free and vegan)*

4 medium bananas, if looking for quicker setting use 2 frozen bananas and 2 non frozen, or all frozen using tamper tool and more milk if needed

1/2c coconut milk (used So Delicious Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut Milk)

*If desired granola can be ground down first or you can smash down half of the granola mixture after making to have a finer texture for the bottom and keep the crunchy on top. In the version shown I kept it as is.

Line a 9×5 or standard loaf pan with foil, you can also use silicone muffin molds unlined. In a bowl mix together coconut oil and nut butter until smooth. Stir in granola until combine. Place half the mixture into the bottom of prepared loaf pan or a spoonful into 8 silicone muffin tins. Place in the freezer. In a Vitamix, or high-speed blender, blend together bananas and milk until smooth. Pull pan from the freezer and pour banana mixture over top. Sprinkle remaining granola mixture over top and place in the freezer until frozen. Time will depend on pan using and if using frozen bananas. If not using frozen bananas and a loaf pan in will take a couple of hours. When ready to enjoy or when frozen remove from freezer and slice as desired and store remaining bars in the freezer until ready to eat (or up to 20 minutes before to thaw out). Enjoy!

For more recipes that will make you go bananas check out this weeks Foodie Friday link ups!