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• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raw (turbinado) sugar
• 1 large ripe banana
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup milk (can be swapped out for soy–see note)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (or other nut you prefer), lightly toasted
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (see note)

Directions:

1. Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
2. Place 1 1/4 cups of the oats in a food processor or clean coffee grinder (my preference) and grind the oats very finely into a flour. Pour into a large mixing bowl and whisk together with the remaining 3/4 cup of oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Set aside.
3. Peel and halve the banana. Chop half into a medium dice and set aside. Place the other half in a medium bowl and mash well with a fork or your hands until it resembles a puree–no big chunks. Whisk in the oil, milk and vanilla.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wets. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the batter until well-blended. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips and chopped banana pieces. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes. Drop the batter in to mounds, 2 tablespoons each, onto the baking sheets, no more than 9 per sheet. Bake until puffed and golden, 22-25 minutes, rotating the sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Cool for 2 minutes on the sheets before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days (note: after the first day or so, their outer crunch will go soft, but they’ll still be delicious).

Shauna Sever

Shauna Sever writes the award-winning baking and dessert blog Piece of Cake. She works as a host and reporter for food-related television and is currently at work on her first cookbook, to be published Spring 2012. She lives with her husband and their little girl in San Francisco .