This basic breakfast bar recipe is made with no refined sugar, wheat flour, or dairy and can be made egg-free. Say what? Importantly, it still tastes great.

Since hitting on the ingredient combination listed below, I have made these bars countless times. The recipe is quick to prepare, provides a couple days worth of speedy breakfasts or snacks, and is a great way to use those overripe bananas.

I purposely let some of our bananas sit on the counter a little too long so that I can make these at a moment’s notice. Overripe bananas may also be peeled and frozen for future use in this and other banana bread recipes.

For a small indulgence and a tried-and-true flavor combination, I do stir in a modest amount of peanut butter and chocolate chips. You may opt to use all of one variety or the other, or substitute raisins, nuts, and/or shredded coconut in their place.

A couple tablespoons of shredded coconut sprinkled on the top prior to baking is a nice addition. I use the unsweetened variety, but sweetened may be used if preferred.

Tip: When preparing a batch, I mix just the dry ingredients into several additional airtight containers and store for future use. It’s so easy to do while the ingredients are out, and then the wet ingredients can quickly be added for a fresh batch whenever desired. And when you have overripe bananas but no time to use them, simply peel and store in the freezer.