No-Bake Banana Nut Protein Bars – vegan, gluten-free

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(No-Bake Banana Nut Protein Bars – recipe in post)

As many of you know, The Boyfriend and I recently went from “happily together” to “engaged”. It’s an exciting time for both of us… grinning faces, telling friends and family, talking about the future, planning the day…

We both agreed early on that neither of us were interested in a big, traditional ceremony. Instead, we’re opting to have a small family gathering in celebration of the occasion. You would think that would makes things easier, cut down on the stressfulness of planning, but what it actually means is instead of pawning off chores and hiring out things like catering and decorations, we’re doing a lot of it ourselves. Food? I’m on it. Cake? You bet! Invitations? I can print those. Playlist? He’s on it. What about flowers? Those would be nice. Not to mention the hardwood floors going in… and the new fridge being delivered… oh, and remembering to bathe on a regular basis… yeah.

Long story short, things have been more than a little hectic around here. Of course, I still have to eat… but prepping and photographing actual meals has not been on the agenda. Big bowls of cereal have been the norm as of late. Oh, and cake. Lots of cake. I’ve made five so far, testing recipes, frostings, and techniques in preparation for the big day. The Fiancé and I talk in jest about how sick of cake we’ll be when it comes time to celebrate, but the joke is getting less and less funny.

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So, to prevent myself from having nothing but cake and cereal in my diet, and to keep from going full-blown crazy, I’ve been chowing down on my go-to protein bars. These babies have powered me through some of the most stressful situations, and they’ve always been there for me. I like to keep a bag of them in the freezer at all times – one bar in the morning, and I’m set for whatever the day has to throw at me. Pluse, they taste like candy. Even The Fiancé, who likes to start his day with a pastry and chocolate, loves splitting one of these with me on busy mornings.

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Nutrient-rich dates and a banana go in to these bars to make them sweet and chewy, along with rolled oats and nut butter for lots of quality protein and fiber. To amp up the nutrition in my bars, I always add a scoop of protein powder and lots of hemp and chia seeds – the very same combo I use in my favorite Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie (click for recipe).

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This protein powder is my current favorite – it’s entirely raw, gluten-free, vegan, and isn’t too heavy or chalky. It also has a probiotic blend of nutrients to aid in digestion. I like to buy the unflavored version, and add a bit of cocoa powder or vanilla extract if I want to flavor it.

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As an added bonus to having all kinds of goodness in them, making protein bars at home is incredibly easy and can save quite a bit of moolah. I always keep a store-bought bar in my purse for emergencies, but nothing beats having these at home. I especially love that I get to control what goes in, or what stays out, of my bars – so feel free to customize them as you like!



Banana Nut Protein Bars
(Adapted from my Banana Nut Butter)
Vegan, Gluten-Free – makes 6 large or 12 small bars

15 dates, pitted and soaked
1 large banana, ripe
1 cup peanut, almond, or other nut butter
1 scoop protein powder (unflavored, vanilla, or chocolate)
1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 1/4 cups gluten-free rolled oats
Optional add-ins:
1 tsp. cinnamon, or
1-2 tsp. cocoa powder (if you aren’t using chocolate protein powder)
Pinch of salt

Method

  1. Soak dates in enough water to cover for 1-2 hours before using (this will help them blend easier).
  2. Drain the dates thoroughly, and add them to the bowl of your food processor. Add the banana, and pulse to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
  3. Add the nut butter, protein powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and any add-ins you like. Pulse to combine – the mixture will become very thick and may slow down your food processor.
  4. Remove the mixture to a large bowl, and add in the oats. Using a flexible rubber spatula, fold the oats into the nut butter paste. You’ll think there’s no way for so many oats to incorporate in, but just keep folding it and soon enough it will come together.
  5. Line one 8x8inch square baking pan with parchment paper, and scoop the mixture into it. Spread it as evenly as you can with the back of a spatula, then fold the edges of the parchment over the top (or cover with an additional sheet of parchment). Press down along the top to smooth out any remaining bumps, and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours, or overnight, or until thoroughly frozen.
  6. Remove from freezer, unwrap, and slice into bars. I like to make 6 large, meal-sized bars, but feel free to cut them smaller. Once cut, seal bars in a zip-top freezer bag and store in the freezer indefinitely. You may want to separate bars with parchment to keep them from sticking.
  7. When you want to feel perfectly full, incredibly satisfied, and thoroughly satiated – remove one bar from the freezer, and enjoy. Fresh from the freezer they are firm, but chewy. If left out to thaw, they become quite soft and sticky. If you wanted to prevent this, it may be possible to dip the bars in chocolate to create a shell on the outside… but I’ve never tried.

Nutritional Information (approximate, will vary depending on the protein powder/ingredients you choose)
Per serving (1 batch = 12 servings):
268 cal. – 10g. prot. – 5g. fiber – 13g. fat (mostly heart healthy fats and omega-3’s)

Perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast, a quick meal replacement, or to fuel (or re-fuel from) a workout.

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28 Responses to No-Bake Banana Nut Protein Bars – vegan, gluten-free

  1. glutenfreehappytummy.com August 19, 2012 at 9:43 pm #

    those look completely delicious! they seem so chewy! yum!

  2. Foodie Stuntman August 19, 2012 at 10:52 pm #

    Kudos to both of you for your do-it-yourself type of wedding. It’s not easy. These protein bars look good too.

    • Willow August 20, 2012 at 4:50 pm #

      Thanks – not easy is right!

  3. Jen @JuanitasCocina August 20, 2012 at 1:26 am #

    I volunteer to be a cake-taster!!! :D

    Also, these look fabulous!

  4. Kat August 20, 2012 at 2:24 pm #

    We didn’t have a traditional big fancy wedding either, just a ceremony followed by a small gathering. This upset a few people I’ve never even met, but it was wonderful (especially not having to spend so much), stress-free and enjoyable for us. So I really admire you catering your wedding. The bars sound like a good break from the cakes.

    • Willow August 20, 2012 at 4:50 pm #

      Sounds perfect! Besides upsetting some people… which is a bit of a concern for us, as well. Going the non-traditional route is always a little risky, but I think everyone is supportive of us, and will have a wonderful time! And as for doing all the work ourselves… I may need to make another batch of these bars to get me through ;)

  5. Averie @ Averie Cooks August 20, 2012 at 2:57 pm #

    stunning! saw them on FG and am in love!

    • Willow August 20, 2012 at 4:50 pm #

      Thanks, I’m glad you like!

  6. Donalyn August 20, 2012 at 4:46 pm #

    These are so gorgeous – I love everything about them!

  7. Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes August 20, 2012 at 7:13 pm #

    Oh my goodness Willow you are so busy, If i lived even remotely close to you I would be there to help in less than a minute – remember to enjoy the process too…get your brother on flower duty or chair duty, definitely put him to good use!

    I love the idea of making a batch of these and stashing them in the freezer!

    BTW I saw your sugared’ flower on FB- freaking incredible!….maybe an ice cream cake should be in the lineup to be tested :)

    • Willow August 23, 2012 at 8:03 pm #

      Aw, thanks! My bro will definitely be helping with last minute things once he gets into town… and I do have someone who’s volunteered to help me with the flowers. I’m a little strung out getting things done on time, but I’m also really excited. :)

      And there will be ice cream – just not in cake form. The cake and frosting I’m making use a lot of egg whites, so all those yolks will become ice cream. Wouldn’t be our wedding without it!

  8. Kristy August 20, 2012 at 9:04 pm #

    I love that you are keeping your wedding really low-key. We eloped and it was the best decision ever! I can’t wait to see pictures of the lovely food and cake you prepare!

    These bars look amazing and I can totally see how they could keep you satisfied and give you plenty of energy. Awesome! Thanks for the recipe! :-)

  9. Olivia Naeger August 21, 2012 at 2:30 am #

    Yum! These look delicious! I will have to try!

  10. Courtney J August 21, 2012 at 2:59 am #

    Definitely agree with you on keeping planning low-key. We’ve been apart of so many wedding parties the past two years and it always surprises me how complicated wedding planning can become! Keep focusing on making it simple, so you enjoy the process more :) All you really need is good food anyway, right? *hehe*

    These bars look fantastic! Exactly what I need in the mornings to get me going. When I’m over this flu bug, I’m making a huge batch of these to keep in the freezer. Thanks for the great idea! :) xo

    • Willow August 23, 2012 at 8:05 pm #

      Thanks, Courtney! I keep having to remind myself to keep it simple… don’t want to try to go overboard and try to do more than I can manage. And you’re right – so long as the food (and cake) are good, everyone should be happy! :)

      Hope you like the bars!

  11. katherine Martinelli August 24, 2012 at 12:59 pm #

    Congrats!!! I’m sure it will be amazing. And I love homemade bars like this and these look particularly awesome.

  12. Anonymous January 8, 2013 at 4:23 pm #

    Do you happen to know the carbs in this so I can calculate Weight watcher points? Thanks :)

    • Willow January 8, 2013 at 11:39 pm #

      I’m not sure, but it’s going to be quite a few because of all the natural sugars in the dates and banana. I would suggest looking up the nutritional information for each ingredient (usually readily available online) and adding up whatever values are important for WW.
      Hope that helps!

  13. Anonymous March 14, 2013 at 12:27 pm #

    If you omitted the protein powder, do they still come out ok or would they need something else dry to sort of bind it all up?

    • Willow March 14, 2013 at 1:45 pm #

      They work fine without the protein powder – just mix everything else together, and if they feel particularly wet/sticky, add a little more oats. It should be a fairly stiff mixture.

      Hope that helps!

    • Anonymous March 15, 2013 at 10:52 am #

      that’s great, thanks!

  14. Anonymous March 24, 2013 at 10:42 pm #

    Hey I pinned these a while back…waiting to finish up juice cleanse,,,and now I have them in the freezer,,,Yum! I add a good glug of Almond extract as well :) Thx

  15. Christina June 21, 2013 at 10:54 pm #

    Hi Willow. I have made these numerous times now. They are a favourite of mine (and my husband) for after the gym, or a mid morning snack. Sometimes I pour over a simple ‘icing’ of coconut oil, chocolate and cocoa melted together. It holds them together very nicely when they are out of the freezer. Cheers for a great recipe. Christina

    • Willow Arlen June 21, 2013 at 11:13 pm #

      That’s great! I’m so glad you like them, thanks for telling me. The chocolate is a great idea, I’ll have to give that a try next time I make them. :)

  16. Christy July 31, 2014 at 11:57 pm #

    Just made these…delish. It may seem like ages since you first posted this recipe, but it will still be enjoyed. I like it b/c of the few ingredients and the nakedness of them – no chocolate coating, just layers of oats and dates with the tiny hemp and chia seeds mixed in. And a nice banana flavor. Great treat/break from my self inflicted strict diet.

    • Willow August 1, 2014 at 8:53 am #

      Thank you for taking the time to comment, Christy! I’m so glad you like these bars. It has been ages since I made this post, and sometimes I start to think that people will never find or make my older recipes. I’m glad to know they’re still being enjoyed! :)

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