My husband loves granola bars! They are so easy to make and easy to grab for a sack breakfast or lunch. Most granola bars in the store are so full of sugar they might as well be candy, so I decided to make some low-sugar ones that I don't have to worry about if he eats them every day. These are flavorful, but sweetened with bananas and applesauce, so they aren't anything like dessert. If you use gluten-free oats, they are gluten-free as well!
PREHEAT oven to 350F.
LINE a cookie sheet with parchment paper, with about 1 inch of parchment paper overlapping the sides.
SPREAD out the oats and chopped nuts on a baking sheet.
BAKE at 350F until they are lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
MASH bananas with a fork in a large bowl.
STIR in applesauce until combined.
MIX in chopped dates, ground flax seed (flax meal), seasoning, and salt.
ADD the oats and pecans.
STIR until well combined and starting to clump.
POUR onto the cookie sheet and press down evenly.
BAKE at 350F until the bars are golden brown and starting to separate from sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.
COOL on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
USE the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan.
COOL to room temperature, then cut into bars.
SERVE warm OR store in an airtight container.