Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 13” x 9” baking pan or a 9" x 9" square pan with cooking spray. As an alternative, line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal. This is what I do.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl until they are nice and creamy.

Add the eggs, oat milk (or milk of choice), almond butter, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the mashed bananas and mix the wet ingredients together until they are well combined. If your almond butter is chilled from sitting in the refrigerator, microwave it for 20-35 seconds before mixing it into the other ingredients so that it stirs very easily. This will ensure it mixes with the other wet ingredients without clumping.

In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the oats, protein powder, ground cinnamon, baking powder and sea salt.

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well until a smooth batter forms. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Pour the chocolate banana oatmeal mixture into the baking pan. If desired, sprinkle the top with extra chocolate chips.

Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 35 to 42 minutes, or until the oatmeal is cooked through.

To verify whether or not the oatmeal is done, you can insert a digital thermometer into the center of the baked oats to check the internal temperature. It is ready if it is 190 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

Allow the chocolate baked oatmeal to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. The hardest part about this recipe is staying patient to cut the oatmeal, but it is easier to slice and holds together better if it is sliced when cooled.

Enjoy it with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt for a complete meal.