Creating these Banana Oatmeal Bars is simple when you follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Preheat Your Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by greasing it or lining it with parchment paper.
2. Mash Bananas: In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth.
3. Combine Ingredients: Add rolled oats, almond butter, honey (or maple syrup), vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to the bananas. Mix well until a dough-like consistency forms.
4. Add Mix-Ins: If desired, fold in chocolate chips or nuts to the mixture until evenly distributed.
5. Transfer to Dish: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
6. Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool and Cut: Allow the bars to cool in the baking dish for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares or bars.

With these steps, preparing delicious Banana Oatmeal Bars is effortless!