Banana-Pecan Bars

To prep the bars, put the apple juice, raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the oats and stir rapidly for 30 seconds. Decrease the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until the oats are tender.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the pecans and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a 2-quart square container. Press down on the oatmeal with a spatula to remove all the air pockets and smooth the top. Once the oatmeal is cool to the touch, cover the container and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours, until firm. At this stage, the oatmeal will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to make the Banana-Pecan Bars, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Uncover the oatmeal container, turn it upside down on a cutting board, and pop out the oatmeal. Cut the oatmeal into 1 x 5-inch strips and put them on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

While the bars are baking, make the sauce. Put the pineapple juice and almond butter in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the bananas. Decrease the heat to low and cook until the bananas are heated through, about 3 minutes.

Put the bars on serving plates and pour the warm sauce over the bars. Serve hot.