Banana Bites

This is my current kick.
I call them Banana Bites.  It's my version of a recipe I found on Pinterest.  It's awesome on many levels.  I snack.  And I will admit, that if I have an open bag of chocolate chips in my cupboard, that is what I snack on.  I have NO self control when it comes to chocolate.  But if I grab one of these, I get 4 or 5 chocolate chips mixed with oatmeal, bananas, and applesauce, instead of 20+ chocolate chips.  AND I feel way more full, AND I'm getting some potassium in me.  (Been trying real hard to up my potassium intake.)  AND Shortcakes likes them and I feel way less guilty giving her one of these than some processed, preserved cookie.  (Now if only I could convince the twins how yummy they are.)  AND they are E-A-S-Y.  When I'm cooking anything I'm all about being lazy. 

DO NOT pre-heat the oven first
 
1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
2 bananas mashed with a fork
1 cup applesauce
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Stir the vanilla into the applesauce, then combine all the ingredients. 
Let it sit (the oatmeal kinda absorbs some of the moisture) while the oven per-heats to 350. 
Spoon rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheet.  Makes a little less than 2 dozen, but if you "round" your tablespoons a little less you could probably get the full 2 dozen. 
Bake 25-30 min.  

Some notes:
* The original recipe I found said it didn't matter if you used "quick" or "rolled" oats.  I used "rolled" cause I don't know what it is that makes oats "quick." 
* The original recipe also called for 1 tsp cinnamon.  I am not a cinnamon fan.  The 2nd time I made them I omitted it and liked them much better.  You could also try using cinnamon apple sauce and get your cinnamon kick that way. 
* The original recipe was also healthier than mine cause is said to use raisins or dried cranberries instead of the chocolate chips.  I also tried that thinking I would love the cranberries.  But no, there was no love there.  I'm in this for the chocolate fix after all.