Banana Chocolate-Chip Confetti Bars

This lovely creation makes me happy.

Not that food should be the main source of happiness…but sometimes it just helps.

I had a pretty rough weekend.  I got sick at the most inopportune time…right before my scheduled first half-marathon.

Saturday night , the night before the race, (after working outside all day) I got myself checked in to the race, had my pasta dinner, and after attending a graduation party, rushed home to get things ready.  I got my playlist all ready, clothes set out and prayed continually that I would feel better in the morning.

Well, I couldn’t sleep.  My throat hurt so stinkin bad.  I found some cough drops, but couldn’t fall asleep with one in my mouth for fear of swallowing it.

When my alarm finally went off Sunday morning I realized two things: this was  my second alarm (the first never went off) and I felt even worse than yesterday!

I was considering running or even walking the race if I had to, but then I heard the howling wind outside.  I imagined how I would feel after even a few miles of running in wind like that.  Believe me, I have run in the wind before.  It is not fun.

I tried to think of why I would run this race with the obstacles before me.  The only reason I could come up with was pride, since I had told SO MANY PEOPLE about this race and made SUCH A BIG DEAL about it, I was embarrassed to not even be able to run it.

I knew the best thing to do would be to stay home.  Was I okay with this?  Heck no!

I was mad!

I was blaming everyone from the babies I watch for getting me sick to God for letting this happen!

I couldn’t even talk about it until now…two full days later.

Something interesting happened yesterday though.  My back pain came back.  After getting upset that not only was I sick, but my back hurt, I realized that maybe it was a good thing I didn’t run my half marathon.  Running with back pain could result in serious injury.

I can’t be sure, but maybe God was telling me to sit this one out.

I don’t know everything, but I do know that God can see more than I can.  He sees the whole picture, where I tend to only see my own small, selfish life.

There are other races.  It will be okay.  For now I will rest and eat all of these Banana Chocolate-Chip Confetti Bars…since BF is out of town and the Daddio is still fasting until the 10th of next month (fasting and prayer for church).

All mine!  Muahahaha!

The funfetti bars taste sweet, zingy and slightly between the cake and chewy cookie texture because I used a sugar cookie mix for the base. Drool. This also makes them pretty quick to whip up.

Banana Chocolate-Chip Confetti Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 1 package sugar cookie mix
• 1 tsp lemon flavoring (or lemon zest)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips + some for topping
• generous amount of colorful sprinkles + some for topping

How To:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mash bananas.  Add bananas and egg to blender and mix up until fluffy.
3. Add cookie mix and lemon flavoring/zest.  Add chocolate chips and sprinkles and mix thoroughly.
4. Spread into a greased brownie pan.  Sprinkle on toppings to make it even more pretty and colorful.
5. Bake 18-20 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.

Enjoy with fro-yo that your BF brings you because your throat is super sore.  He is a good BF…especially because he still loves you even when you are all grumpy from being sick and not being able to run. 😉

Graduation card motivation.

[Tweet “I gotta try these banana chocolate chip funfetti bars with lemon. #imasemihealthnut”]

I can tell you these funfetti bars also make a nice bedtime treat with bedtime green tea.  In fact, I may be enjoying some as I type.

Have a great evening friends!

Do you call it fro-yo or is that too cutsie-wootsie?
Do you have any races coming up?  Tell me about them so I can get excited for you!!

Originally posted: May 23, 2012