Have you ever eaten warm banana?
Think pie… bananas foster… breads.
When you bake a banana it becomes a gooey, caramel-y treat. You don’t even need to use sugar. Like in these muffins.
I’m not one to take the time to make a baked oatmeal in the morning, but I love having it for breakfast. Especially as it gets colder outside! Bake it in advance and you have a delicious instant breakfast, portioned out perfectly. That’s the idea behind these.
I’ve done this before as Raspberry Banana Baked Oatmeal and as Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal. This round I wanted something reminiscent of bananas foster. I remembered a technique I used to make a Banana Rum Raisin Banana Bread long ago.
So what’s strange about these? You actually bake the bananas whole, in the skin. They come out of the oven 10 minutes later black as night and oozing. Remove the peel and you have a perfectly caramelized treat.
From there I used a mix of flavorings, protein, and oats to bulk it up. Oh, and did I mention avocado? I’ve done it before in baked goods like these cookies and this cake to replace butter or oil. You can’t taste it and it’s a terrific way to get more healthy fats in.
They come out dense, like baked oatmeal rather than muffins, which is why I call them bites.
They are gluten-fee if you use gluten-free oats. You can even make them vegan with a flax egg (1T flax meal + 3 T water).
Baked Banana Oatmeal Protein Bites
- 3 ripe bananas, skin on
- 1 /4 C egg whites (or flax egg)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
- 1/2 avocado, mashed
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Growing Naturals Rice Protein)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 C rolled oats
- 1/4 C chopped pecans
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place bananas on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment and bake for 10 mins, until the skins are black and they have just started to seep. Remove and allow to cool completely. Go do your laundry or whatever – you want them cool so you don’t scramble your egg whites in the next step.
Prepare muffin tins with cupcake liners, or grease with cooking spray.
With a hand mixer or blender, blend together bananas and egg whites, and extracts. Add avocado, protein powder egg, and extracts. Blend just until smooth. Fold in oats and nuts.
Pour batter evenly into tins. Bake 20-25 mins, or until golden and slightly firm to the touch.
Enjoy a few fresh, and allow the remaining to cool completely before placing in a freezer bag for storage. For a quick breakfast, remove muffin from the freezer and microwave ~30 seconds (until warmed through).
Notes: Don’t worry if you don’t have maple extract; you can also use maple syrup or leave out altogether. You can omit the avocado… but it really is good!
Makes 12 “bites.”
Approximate nutritionals (for 1): 119 calories, 3.6g fat, 15.7g sodium, 17.7g carbohydrates, 2.9g fiber, 3.7g sugar, 4.9g protein
How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.
Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂
***
These also freeze really well – I’ve been eating them for weeks!
Have you ever baked a banana whole?
What’s your favorite oatmeal flavor add?
Oh woah I love the idea of baking the banns with the skin on first-not something I’ve done before but I bet the results are fab! Lately I’ve been loving the addition of apple & cinnamon to my oatmeal…total comfort food :)!
Thanks! It’s a great technique to use for any banana dish!
Anything with oats 😉
I’m not a big banana fan although I know they’re good for me. I’ve been getting them in through smoothies. But this sounds delicious! Thanks, Laura!
You don’t like bananas?! Is it the texture?
I’ve never tried baking bananas with the skins on. I need to try to. Geniuous!
oh brother! i need these! trade you balls? i was going to link up here but not sure my balls are strange enough… but they are tasty LOL!
Oh the comments that could be inserted about you swapping and trying each others tasty balls! 😉
Who? Us? Never… 😉
Your balls are always welcome here! 😉
I think I’m the only person on the planet that doesnt really like bananas- however I will eat them baked into something delicious (especially chocolate chip banana bread) or in a smoothie. These sound really good and I love the addition of the avocado, yay for healthy fats!
If you put chocolate chips in anything I’m game! 😉
I love panfrying bananas or getting banana tempura – but I’ve never baked a banana whole. I’ll have to give it a try sometime!
Let me know if you do! If you like ’em pan fried, you’ll love it.
I’ve never used avocado in baking(yet) but I have used them for chocolate pudding and that was good! I agree, mashed fruits are a good substitution for fats in the baked recipe. Your creation won’t have the same texture but will be more dense and a little more wet.
If you’ve done that you’re half way there! 🙂
Baking a banana whole?! Nice! Must do that this weekend… favorite flavour add will always be cinnamon and vanilla. Pinch of nutmeg is always a good idea too 🙂
Let me know what you think! I bet it would make a killer rum sauce with cinnamon and vanilla… mmmm…
That looks good! All those ingredients though 🙁 I’m lazy :'( I love banana bread, so easy to make and it’s just fabulous 🙂 Have a great weekend Laura! -Iva
Whaaaat?! That’s not that many… 😛
OK – those look amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now you know I am a lazy cook & Awesomely Oz cracked me up with a comment I would make BUT I don’t think this is that hard! 🙂
Ha! I saw it come though and thought it was you at first. 😉
Ooooh yum, these sound and look so yummy (and I’m not just saying that because it’s lunchtime and I’m hungry!). Bookmarking the recipe so that I can try it soon!
Thanks! I’d love to hear what you think if you try it!
looks delicious!! bananas are the best.
oh yes we have tried baking a whole banana before, it went alright but not as good as baked whole plantains 🙂
Ohhhh… I need to do it with plantains!
So, I always have to throw my nearly departed bananas in the freezer for later use and they are always black and gnarly. I never thought about baking them first and then freezing the results. Love this recipe!!
That’s a great idea! I’m a firm believer in the freezing anything and everything.
These sound so so delicious!!
These little bites would keep me going all day at uni! Delicious 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
They’d be great to take to school!
i love bananas foster!! try cooking a banana in coconut oil – i swear it tastes just like bananas foster!!
Totally! I love doing that and then putting it over ice cream. And rum. 😉
Love this idea and avocado too! Would never have guessed. Can’t wait to try these!
Mmm! We make ones like these into cookies but I have never added avocado! I have never tried to bake the banana before either, but love baked bananas for banana bread oats! I will have to make these, we never have a problem making cookies for breakfast and well we consider these balls cookies! 😉
Duh. Why didn’t I just flatten them into cookies?!
I have never tried baking a banana whole – very cool!!
Mmm, these sound and look really good! I would have never guessed they have avocado in them!