Zucchini Banana Breakfast Bars (Gluten & Dairy Free)
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These zucchini banana breakfast bars are the perfect way to sneak in veggies at breakfast! They’re gluten and dairy free, and kid-friendly.
I’m always looking for more ways to sneak in veggies for my toddler! Breakfast is the perfect place to start the day off with extra veggies, and these zucchini breakfast bars are our newest favorite. My 3-year-old loves this recipe, and it’s perfect to serve along with some breakfast sausage for a complete breakfast.
These bars are gluten-free, and dairy-free, and can be modified to be egg-free.
Why you’ll love these bars
- They’re cakey and delicious! They almost have the texture of baked oatmeal, but a bit more like a fluffy bar.
- Kids love them! My 3-year-old loves these bars! Of course, it helps that they have chocolate chips, but he’s also getting lots of fiber in every bite.
The Ingredients for zucchini breakfast bars
- Gluten-Free Oats. I highly recommend using gluten-free sprouted oats. I find myself tolerating these much better as someone who is gluten-free.
- Zucchini. Make sure you squeeze out all the liquid of the zucchini or the extra moisture can throw off the bars.
- Eggs. See notes below on subbing for a flax egg.
- Banana and Maple Syrup. Both of these sweeten the bars with no refined sugar.
- Coconut Oil.
- Vanilla Extract and Cinnamon.
- Almond Flour and Coconut Flour. I like to use this coconut flour. I haven’t tried any other flours.
- Baking Powder. I use this baking powder.
- Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips. I like to use Enjoy Life, but you can use any dairy-free chocolate chips. You can also omit if you want to lower the sugar.
How to Make Zucchini Breakfast Bars
- Step One. Grate the zucchini and squeeze out the moisture.
- Step Two. Add the eggs, mashed banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the zucchini and mix well.
- Step Three. Add the dry ingredients and then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Step Four. Add batter to baking pan and bake
- Step Five. Slice and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure you squeeze out all of the water from the zucchini! Too much moisture can throw off the ratio for these bars. The best way to do this is a nut milk bag.
- Leave out the chocolate if desired. If you want less sugar, simply omit the chocolate.
What do you serve these bars with?
When I give these to my son with breakfast, I pair them with sausage or an egg muffin for extra protein.
You’ll also love…
- Monster Cookie Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Pumpkin Blueberry Breakfast Bars
- Paleo Strawberry Cacao Cereal Bars
Zucchini Banana Breakfast Bars
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini
- 2 eggs (see notes)
- 1 spotted banana, mashed
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 cup gluten-free oats
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and line an 8×8″ baking pan with lightly greased parchment paper.
- Slice the ends off of the zucchini and shred with food processor or grater. Place in a bowl and lightly salt. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to draw out the moisture. Squeeze out all of the liquid with a nut milk bag or clean dish towel. The zucchini should be dry.
- Add the eggs, mashed banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the zucchini and mix well.
- Pour in the almond flour, oats, coconut flour, cinnamon and baking powder and stir well to combine. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. The batter will be fairly thick.
- Transfer to the baking pan and evenly press down. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until baked through and the edges are crisp (my oven runs hot and tends to bake up in less time, so check your cook time often).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing. Allow to cool before slicing into 9 slices.
- Serve fresh or store in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can freeze the bars for up to 1-2 months.
Notes
Swap the egg for a flax egg with 6 tbsp water and 2 tbsp ground flax. Using a large mixing bowl, combine the flax and water and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 188
- Fat: 7.4g
- Carbohydrates: 20.4g
- Fiber: 2.3g
- Protein: 5.5g
Can you comment on how many cups a medium zucchini makes?Â
Is there a substitute for the Almond flour? Â I cannot have nuts. Â Thanks!
Hi. Can the oats be substituted with something else or complexly removed for a grain free option? Thanks!
I haven’t tried without the oats, but if you need to avoid oats I would suggest another breakfast bar recipe like Pumpkin Blueberry Breakfast Bars: https://unboundwellness.com/pumpkin-blueberry-breakfast-bars/
Can I take out the oats to make this reintroduction-AIP-Friendly? Or would I have to use something like tigernut flakes?
I haven’t tried it without the oats, it would likely change the recipe a lot… sorry!
Sounds wonderful. What can I substitute the oats with?Â
Thank you!!Â
The oats are hard to substitute, but if you need to avoid oats I would suggest this recipe for Pumpkin Blueberry Breakfast Bars:
https://unboundwellness.com/pumpkin-blueberry-breakfast-bars/
Looks delicious. Do you know if these freeze well?