One of my favourite ways to make baking items more nutritious and less indulgent is to use their flavours in granola. The oats and nuts which form the base are full of fiber, healthy fats and protein along with several micronutrients, or vitamins and minerals. I usually try to keep the sweeteners down then serve it with fruit for natural sweetness, plus an extra dose of several more nutrients. For this banana bread inspired granola I used molasses as the sweetener, it is a robust, dark and thick syrup which is the byproduct of refined sugar. When sugarcane is processed we get white table sugar, which is devoid of nutrients, and molasses, which is where all the nutrients from the original plant end up. It has a deep flavour and along with a bit of butter (or coconut oil for dairy-free), it gives some authentic banana bread richness.
To really emphasize the banana part I like it served with some brûléed bananas, then I included some blueberries too. Whenever possible, a handful of berries on your meal offers many health benefits. They are full of flavour and can offer a nice contrast in texture, plus they are incredibly rich in important antioxidants and vitamins. During the winter frozen bags are usually better in quality and flavour and they are more cost efficient. I take however many I want then place them in a sieve and run them under cold, but not freezing, water then let them sit for a few minutes while I prepare everything else. By then they are fully defrosted and still fully in tact. 
Brûléed bananas are easy to make and they take around ten minutes in total. Simply set the oven to broil. Peel a banana and slice it around 1/4 inch thick. Place the slices on a baking tray and brush the tops with a thin layer of liquid honey or maple syrup. Place the tray on the top rack of the oven, leave the door slightly ajar and keep a very close eye on them, mine took four minutes but three to five is a safe range. The honey on the top should start to bubble and once it turns golden brown the process is complete.
- 2 cups oats
- 2 bananas
- ½ cup hazelnuts, chopped (or any nuts desired)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil)
- 2 tablespoons almond butter (or any nut butter)
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch sea salt
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Melt the butter (or coconut oil) in a medium sized bowl in the microwave or a medium pot on the stove. Remove from heat source.
- Add in the bananas, almond butter, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and mash until smooth (an inversion blender is nice for this).
- Fold in the oats and hazelnuts and continue folding until fully and evenly combined.
- Dump the mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking tray and space it out evenly. Leave it all together for bigger clumps or spread it out fully. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown, stirring halfway through.
- Store extras in an airtight container in the cupboard for up to a week or the fridge for up to a month.
A bit of unsweetened nut milk, like the cashew milk used here, can soften the granola a little and bring all the flavours together.