Cranberry Oat Banana Bread

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Course: Breakfast | Servings: 9

Banana cranberry oat bread with pecans, cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. These tender banana bread breakfast squares have the right amount of tart and spice. Inspired by Connie at Urban Bakes. She recommends letting them cool for 2 hours before cutting into them…lots of patience. https://www.urbanbakes.com/banana-walnut-and-cranberry-bars/ 

¾ cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped

2 bananas

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

½ cup olive oil

1 ½ cups oatmeal

¾ cup flour

¾ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated is best

1 cup fresh cranberries

Toast the nuts on a baking sheet in a 200* oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove the nuts and turn oven up to 350* to preheat for the bars. Set nuts aside to cool. Spray oil a 8” square pan.

In a mixer, add bananas, sugar and vanilla. Mix until bananas are mashed, stir in the olive oil and oats.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. When well whisked, mix gently into the banana oat mixture. Fold in the nuts and cranberries with a rubber scraper, being careful not to over-mix thus keeping your product tender. Spread evenly into your prepared baking dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. A inta-thermometer will read about 205* when most cakes are done. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.