Sweet Indulgences - Sweet Potato Banana Coconut Bites {Gluten-Free}

I'm always looking for healthy snack alternatives and decided to create a recipe that incorporated "good-for-you" ingredients with a touch of sweetness.  The result was this recipe for  Sweet Potato Banana Coconut Bites that satisfied my craving.

It looks like a cookie, but it's really more of an energy bar since it has lots of healthy ingredients to give you some fuel in the afternoon or late morning.  And, I kept the added sugar to a minimum and you can always substitute the turbinado sugar for stevia.  Hope you enjoy!

Sweet Potato Banana Coconut Bites {Gluten- Free}

Recipe by Laura Ashman Jolna

Prep time: 40 min 
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 52 min
Yield: 24 treats

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cup oat flour, gluten-free
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 banana, very ripe
• 1 cup sweet potato, diced into 1/2" cubes & roasted (approx 1 large)
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 -1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450º.

Peel and dice sweet potato into 1/2" cubes.  Place aluminum foil on baking sheet and spray with olive oil.  Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer and spray with olive oil.  Roast for 25-30 minutes until soft.

Reduce oven temp to 350º.

Mix all dry ingredients (oat flour thru salt) together in a medium bowl with a whisk.

Using a Cuisinart or Kitchenaid mixer, combine banana, sweet potato, sugar, molasses, egg whites, canola oil & vanilla extract; mix well.   

Add flour mixture to wet mixture a little at a time and mix until blended.  Stir (or pulse) in shredded coconut.  I added 1/4 cup, but would even increase to 1/2 cup, depending on how much you like coconut.  Adding more coconut will make the bites sweeter.

Refrigerate dough for 15 - 30 minutes.

Scoop on baking sheet coated with cooking spray using small cookie scoop.  Flatten with a wet fork.

Bake 12 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Enjoy!

Note:
I use Bob's Red Mill for the oat flour and flaxseed meal. I buy it at my local health food store, but you can also buy them at amazon.com:

• One 22 oz Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Oat Flour 
• Bob's Red Mill Golden Flaxseed, 24-Ounce Bags (Pack of 4) 

I've also been buying regular oats and grinding them myself in my cuisinart.  I like this method as well because I can control the fineness or coarseness of the oat flour.

For more banana recipes, check out my sweet bread recipes:

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten-Free}
Banana Date Bread {Low-Fat}

Maple Banana Bread {Low-Fat}

If you have the Paprika recipe app and would like to download any of these recipes, please email me and I'll send it to you in the correct format.

Have a sweet day!