Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan) and line a baking tray or small tin with baking paper.
Mash the bananas finely in a large bowl. Roughly chop the walnuts and melt the coconut oil.
Add the oats, walnuts, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt to the mashed banana. Stir everything thoroughly until evenly combined.
Tip the mixture onto the baking paper, shape it into a rectangle and press it flat. Make the surface as even as possible.
Bake at 180 °C for 20–25 min, until golden brown and slightly firm. Then leave to cool completely so the bars cut cleanly.
Cut into even bars and serve. Natural yoghurt or a little nut butter goes well with them.
Good to know
When there are ripe bananas left over, this is my favourite way to use them. The bars are moist, pleasantly nutty and quick in the oven.
Swaps
Walnuts → pecans (milder in flavour, also contain mainly unsaturated fats); oats → gluten-free buckwheat flakes (naturally gluten-free, with slightly more minerals); bananas → unsweetened apple purée (fruity sweetness, slightly milder flavour)
Allergens
Contains tree nuts; oats contain gluten unless they're certified gluten-free, so use certified gluten-free oats; well suited to children if the bars are soft enough and the nuts are finely chopped, and fine during pregnancy with normal, hygienically handled ingredients.
