When the garden gives you bananas, make crunchy banana peanut butter parfaits. This sweet vegan delight makes the most of our garden's fresh produce and homemade peanut butter. And those crunchy chocolate oatmeal cookies... OMG, I am in love.

This little jars of plant-goodness are fluffy, creamy, chocolaty, crunchy, and oh so yum. Now I wish I made some more. Got 3 left in the fridge and I bet they will disappear fast.

Even my hubby loved this banana treat and he's not a banana or sweets lover.

Before I give you the recipe to create your own magic banana jars, let me show you the bananas we harvested the other day. They were almost too heavy for me to lift. Banana feast at our home this week. Already froze some for smoothies, gave some away to friends and ate a lot of them too.... as more bananas are coming soon.

Mango season might be over but the banana season has started. Though there is no real season of bananas here as they grow all year long, at this point so many are getting ready for harvest. So if you have banana recipes you absolutely loved, please send them my way ;)

Having a banana overdose here!

BANANA PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE & OATMEAL CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUMBLE PARFAITS

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4-6 JARS + LEFTOVER COOKIES)

For the gluten-free (GF) peanut butter chocolate cookies

1 cup old-fashioned oats, make sure they are certified GF
1/4 cup raw organic unrefined palm sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup peanut butter (see link if you want to make your own)
1 chia egg (= 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (see link if you want to make your own)

FYI: Home is always best

That's why we always make our own peanut butter and vanilla extract. Find the recipes below.

CLICK HERE to learn how to make your own nut and seeds butters. It's super easy.

CLICK HERE to learn how to make your own vanilla extract. A lot of patience is what you'll need ;)

For the banana peanut butter mousse

3/4-1 cup full-fat coconut milk chilled overnight, upside down
4 tbsp peanut butter
2 cups banana mashed (about ½ mashed)

For the chocolate sauce

Coconut oil
Raw cacao powder

Toppings

Dried goji berries
Dried coconut flakes
Thin slices of banana
Optional: small heart-shaped cookies

DIRECTIONS

Place the can of full-fat coconut cream upside down in the fridge. Let sit for a few hours, overnight is best.

For the cookies

Pre-heat oven to 190C (375F). Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Set aside.
Make your chia egg by combining 1 tbsp of chia seeds with 3 tbsp water. Let sit for a few minutes to set.
Add 3/4 cup of the oats to a food processor and blend until you have a coarse flour. Then add raw palm sugar, baking powder, salt and raw cacao. Blend until well incorporated. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
In another bowl, whisk coconut oil and peanut butter until smooth. Add chia egg and vanilla extract. Wish well until combined.
Fold in the remaining 1/4 cup oats.
Shape the dough into a ball, and then flatten with your hand. I also made a few little heart cookies to decorate my jars. Place cookies on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Depending on your oven.
When the cool down they will harden. Cookies will have a sand cookie-like texture. Ideal for crumble.

Peanut butter banana mousse

Blend/mash bananas.
Open the can of coconut milk from the bottom and pour off the opaque liquid (keep it to add to a smoothie). What remains will be the coconut cream. Scoop the cream out into the blender with teh banana and add the peanut butter as well. Blend again until creamy.

For the chocolate sauce

Mix raw cacao and coconut oil until you get your desired consistency and chocolate taste.

Make the parfait

Crumble some of the cookies (not the hearts if you made them, they are for decoration).
Then start layering. Add a few spoonfuls of the cookie crumbles into the bottom of a small jar. Add a few scoops of peanut butter banana mousse. Add more crumbles and some of the chocolate sauce. Add some sliced banana if you like. Add more peanut butter banana mousse crumbles and chocolate sauce. Top with goji berries, coconut flakes, and heart-shaped peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge for later.