Recipe of the Week: Banana Oatmeal Chewies

These banana oatmeal chewies are yummy little granola snacks.  They are healthy and yet have chocolate chips in them.  There is no flour in them, just remember if you are making them gluten-free you need to get the gf oats as most oats are grown with wheat.  These are definitely something I would feel little Quentin when he gets old enough to eat such things.

Ingredients:

• 3 ripened bananas
• 3 c. cooking oats
• 1/3 c. non-sweetened applesauce
• 1/4 c. mini semi-sweetened chocolate chips
• 2 T. pure maple syrup
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 1 t. vanilla extract

**Note: You can add in any dried fruits or nuts in place of the chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Peel and smash the bananas to a pulp. With a food processor, grind down 1 c. of the oats until they are a fine powder (consistency of flour). Add that and the rest of the ingredients to the bananas and mix well with a spoon.
2. Use a large cookie scoop and place on a parchment lined pan. Smash just a bit with the bottom of a cup (they will stay whatever shape you put them).
3. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool on racks.