These bars are extremely easy and quick to make, packed with lots of goodness and they taste divine too. Every bite is bursting with banana flavours, a hint of peanut butter and a welcome sweetness from the cranberries. The nuts and seeds add a lovely crunch too. If you are gluten-free make sure you use gluten-free oats. This recipe is adapted from How To Make Anything Gluten Free by Becky Excell.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.

Lightly grease a 20 cm square baking tin and line with non-stick baking parchment.

Ingredients.

1. Butter or oil for greasing

2. 4 ripe bananas

3. 120 grams peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

4. 250 grams porridge oats

5. 60 grams dried cranberries (other dried fruit can be substituted)

6. 60 grams pecans, chopped (other nuts can be substituted)

7. 30 grams pumpkin seeds (or any other seeds of your choice.)

Method.

1. Mash the peeled bananas in a large mixing bowl until nice and smooth. I used a potato masher to do this.

2. Mix in the peanut butter. I found this easier with a spoon.

3. Stir in the oats until well combined.

4. Mix in the dried cranberries, chopped pecans and pumpkin seeds, reserving a few of the pumpkin seeds to scatter on the top.

5. Spoon the mixture into the tin and compact it evenly, checking you’ve got it into all four corners. I used the back of a big spoon to do this.

6. Once it’s nice and level on the top, scatter on the remaining pumpkin seeds and lightly push those in with the back of a fork.

7. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool before cutting into bars.

8. If you’re not a peanut butter fan, another option is to use chocolate hazelnut spread, I’m looking forward to doing this next time!