Banana Chocolate Chip Funfetti Cookie Bars with Lemon [NF]

These funfetti cookie bars can be whipped up in a flash because the base is a sugar cookie mix. Easy peasy, lemon-banana squeezey…

[ NOTE: This is a post refresh, so the race story is actually from May of 2012..but the recipe is still amazing (and updated to make more sense and look prettier). Note the fact that I wasn’t saying Dave’s name back then..he was called “The BF.” I had a lot of stranger danger back then haha.]

—————————-

Good evening friends!

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 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 for fear of swallowing the couch drop in my mouth.

When my alarm finally went off Sunday morning, I realized two things: this was my second alarm (my first one 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 the 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 Funfetti Cookie Bars with Lemon…since the BF is out of town and the Daddio is still fasting until the 10th of next month (for church stuff).

So this funfetti cookie bar is all mine…muahaha.

The funfetti cookie bars taste sweet, zingy and slighty between the cake and chewy cookie texture because I used a sugar cookie mix for the base. (You can actually make a lot of delicious things with the sugar cookie mix base.) Drool. This also makes them pretty quick to whip up (bonus).

Banana Chocolate Chip Funfetti Cookie Bars with Lemon

[Nut Free]

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas

1 egg

1 package sugar cookie mix (I used Betty Crocker 17.5 oz Sugar Cookie Mix)

1 tsp lemon flavoring (or lemon zest)

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips + a little extra for the topping

1/4 cup sprinkles + a little extra for the topping

How To:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash bananas.

Mix banana and egg together with lemon flavoring.

Add cookie mix and stir together. Dough will be a little sticky.

Spread into a greased 8×8 brownie pan. Sprinkle on toppings to make it even more pretty and colorful.

Bake 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees F 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 me even when I’m all grumpy from being sick and not being able to run.  

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

[Tweet “Banana chocolate chip funfetti cookie bars with lemon. #recipe #lemon”]

—————————-

More Banana Recipes You Will Also Love:

Frozen Banana Pops

 

Banana Funfetti Protein Cookies

 

Semi-Healthy Banana Oat Muffins

 

Grilled S’mores Banana Boats

Have a great evening, friends!

Tell me…

Do you have any races coming up? Have you ever had to back out of one and felt super awful about it?

Don’t Miss a Semi-Healthy Update!

Don’t miss out!

PS I would LOVE IT if you could pin one (or two!) of these images! You should also check out my pumpkin board…because it’s pumpkin season!!

Follow Diary of a Semi-Health Nut’s board Food [ Pumpkin ] on Pinterest.

Linking up to: (All of the lovely link-ups I participate in here.) Originally posted in May 2012