This is a Well Your World community favorite. It’s hard to scroll through our group feed without seeing photos of oat clusters. I make five times the batch and freeze them so I always have a snack ready. I sneak them into the movie theater, take them on the airplane, and enjoy them as an after-dinner snack with a glass of nondairy milk.

2 tablespoons ground flax seed OR ¼ cup apple sauce

2 cups rolled oats

2 ripe bananas

6-8 Deglet dates, pitted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup nuts (such as almonds or walnuts; optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir together the flax seed with 4-5 tablespoons water and set aside. If using apple sauce, skip this step. Place the rolled oats into a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Add the bananas, dates, cinnamon, and vanilla to a food processor and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the nuts, if using, and pulse a few times to break them up.

3. Add the flax-water mixture (or applesauce) and the banana mixture to the bowl of oats and stir well.

4. Use your clean hands to make 1-2-inch balls, or cookies, or whatever you like. I recommend flattening them a little so they don’t roll all over the place. Drop these onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the clusters over and bake for 10-20 minutes more (shorter for a softer finish and longer for a dryer finish).

Photo by Laura Myers