LAURA'S BANANA CASHEW BLONDIES

Laura McGuigan

Senior Marketing Executive LCP Delta, Edinburgh

What this dish means to me

When my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) at 21 months, I was overwhelmed with fear. I thought her world (and ours) would be turned upside down. Would food ever bring her joy again? Would every meal feel like a struggle?

But thanks to our incredible paediatric diabetes team (and an unexpected source, Instagram) I found hope. I came across an American dietitian who also has T1D, and through her recipes, she reminded me that food can still be fun, nourishing and full of joy.

Now, we make this recipe as often as we can. It’s our go-to when bananas are on their last legs, because, let’s be honest, there’s only so much banana bread you can eat! These bars aren’t just delicious; they pack in 5 grams of protein each, making them even more satisfying and help to keep blood sugar levels steady.

For us, this recipe isn’t just about the ingredients; it’s about finding new ways to embrace food with confidence, balance and a little creativity.

SERVES

MINUTES

30-40

DIFFICULTY

3/10

INGREDIENTS

½ cup (129g) cashew butter

¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup

2 large (or 3 small) ripe bananas, mashed

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

1 ¼ cups (113g) rolled oats, ground

¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

METHOD

Step 1

To start, preheat your oven to 177°C (350°F) and grease a 9x9in (23x23cm) square baking pan. (You can also line it with greaseproof paper, if you prefer). Set pan aside.

Step 2

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cashew butter, maple syrup, mashed bananas, eggs and extracts.

Thoroughly whisk them all together until they are one uniform consistency. Set this bowl aside. Now, in a second medium-sized bowl, combine your ground oats, tapioca flour, baking soda and cinnamon and whisk them together quickly to combine them a bit. Add the dry mixture to your wet ingredients and stir it all together using a rubber spatula until just combined and there is no more dry flour in the bowl.

Step 3

Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean and the top has started to turn golden.

Step 4

Remove the pan from the oven and let your blondies cool down for 10-15 minutes before trying to cut them.

Additional

Store your cut blondies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. Recommend placing a paper towel inside whatever container you use to help absorb any moisture and prevent mould from forming. You can also freeze your blondies for up to 6 months in a sealed container (we’ve never managed to freeze them as they taste so good!).

Tip

Not into cashews? No problem… any unsweetened nut butter will work instead!