We found this yummy cookie bar recipe on Pinterest and within 15 minutes of finding the recipe, it was in my oven :). It took minutes to prepare and is made with whole, real, good for you ingredients, so I didn’t feel guilty giving this chocolate dish to my kids for breakfast. I have to admit, I was weary of this recipe as the bars had a cardboard-esque appearance to them. I hesitantly served one to my son (he is always my taste tester because he is by far my pickiest — if he likes it, everyone else usually loves it) and he said it was the best breakfast I have ever made for him :).

One of the main ingredients in these bars is coconut flour. Coconut flour is made from dried, ground coconut meat and is a fantastic lower-carb, high-fiber and gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. With 5 grams of fiber per tablespoon, coconut flour has far more of this indigestible carbohydrate than whole-grain flour, which has just 0.8 gram per tablespoons, or white flour, which has about 2 grams per tablespoon. Much of this fiber is the insoluble type, which adds bulk to your stool, helps you feel full, deters constipation and enhances colon health. You can add coconut flour to baked goods, sauces or smoothies to help you reach the recommended 25 to 38 grams of fiber daily. (Source)

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Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

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Whole Food. Real Food. Good Food.

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips
• coconut oil to grease pan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in food processor.
3. Blend for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after the first minute.
4. Scoop out batter into bowl and combine most of the chocolate chips.
5. Press batter into 8x8 pan greased with coconut oil.
6. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over top.
7. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
8. Enjoy!

Notes:

Recipe Source: http://iambaker.net/chocolate-chip-banana-bars-paleo/

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

• 2 bananas
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla (I prefer the taste of the type without alcohol)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder (make sure it is aluminum free)
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 3/4 cup Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Coconut oil to grease pan

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in food processor.
3. Blend for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after the first minute.
4. Scoop out batter into bowl and combine most of the chocolate chips.
5. Press batter into 8×8 pan greased with coconut oil.
6. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over top.
7. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
8. Enjoy!

To receive daily health tips and gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and sugar-free meal/snack ideas, like us at www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood.

“When you know better, you do better.”

Chia Seeds

Chia is an edible gluten/grain free seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, grown in Mexico dating back to Mayan and Aztec cultures. Chia seeds are high in fiber and a great source of protein. One ounce of chia seeds is equal to 10.7 g of fiber, and contributes significantly towards your fiber intake for the day. Chia seeds are also a rich source of linolenic acid, that may aid in cholesterol reduction. One tablespoon of these seeds has more calcium than a glass of milk, more Omega-3s than Salmon, and more antioxidants than blueberries. They also contain mucin, strontium, 30% protein, Vitamins A, B, E, and D, and minerals including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, iron, iodine, copper, zinc, sodium, magnesium, manganese, niacin, thiamine, silicon, and anti-oxidants.

The essential fatty acids, antioxidants and dietary fiber in chia seeds have shown promise in reducing systolic blood pressure and preventing the onset of high cholesterol, effects that may improve your overall cardiovascular health. (Source) Another potential benefit of consuming chia is the seeds’ positive effect on your bones. Chia seed contains calcium, an essential mineral that makes up an integral part of bone tissue. (Source)

See here to see how chia seeds compare to other foods, such as salmon and milk.

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Spinach Banana-Berry Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Number of servings: 2

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

WholeFoodRealFood.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup spinach
• 10 frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 banana
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients into blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Notes:

Use organic produce if possible.

Spinach Banana-Berry Smoothie

•  1 cup spinach
• 10 frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 banana
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

1. Combine all ingredients into blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

To receive daily health tips and gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and sugar-free meal/snack ideas, like us at www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood.

“When you know better, you do better.”

There is some evidence that flaxseed may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Organic Essential Flaxseed is a perfect choice as a dietary fiber supplement to encourage proper digestion and regularity with all the added benefit of lignans. Flax lignans might lower your cancer risk by preventing pre-cancerous cellular changes, as well as slow down the progression and movement of cancer cells. The American Cancer Society reports that lignans may help to reduce the growth of hormone-related cancers including prostate, breast and ovarian cancer, though more human research is needed.  – Information provided by LIVESTRONG.com.

Although flaxseed contains many healthy components, its primary health benefits are:

• Omega-3 essential fatty acids: “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
• Lignans: have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods.
• Fiber: Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types.

To use flaxseed in baking, you can substitute ground flaxseed for part of the flour in recipes for quick breads, muffins, rolls, bread, bagels, pancakes, and waffles. You can typically replace 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the flour with ground flaxseed if the recipe calls for 2 or more cups of flour. For this recipe I only used flaxseed and no flour.

I also used hemp seeds in this recipe. Hemp seeds are a complete protein and very rich in Vitamin E. They provide a rich array of minerals including zinc, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Hemp seeds have a nutty flavor similar to sunflower seeds or pine nuts.

When choosing bananas for this recipe, your bananas should be extremely brown, almost to the point when you would throw them away or freeze them. If they are not overly ripe, your cookies will not be as sweet and probably not taste as good. If you are using non-ripe bananas, you should add about a 1/3 cup of maple syrup to the batter.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Flax Cookies

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes

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Whole Food. Real Food. Good Food. www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup raw almond butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup raw shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut (fine shred works best)
• 1/4 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients until well blended.
3. Drop with a tablespoon onto a greased baking sheets.
4. Bake for 9 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Flax Cookies

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup raw shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut (fine shred works best)
1/4 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients until well blended.
3. Drop with a tablespoon onto a greased baking sheets.
4. Bake for 9 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

~ “Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn

Here is a breakdown of the smoothie and why it is good for you:

Bananas: Fight infections, reduce stroke risk, curb sugar cravings, boots circulations, fight obesity, prevent ulcers, ease heartburn, enhance absorption of nutrients, anti-inflammatory, reduce blood pressure, ease nicotine withdrawal, lessen diabetes risk and helps to fight depression and anxiety.  Don’t throw away your ripened bananas, use them in a smoothie. As a banana ripens its levels of antioxidants increases. These antioxidants in ripe bananas protect your body against cancer and heart diseases.

Almond Milk: More nutrients than other dairy milk alternatives, promotes heart health and normal blood pressure, helps lower blood sugar levels, contains 50% of the RDA of Vitamin E, low calorie, zero cholesterol, naturally rich in minerals such as magnesium, iron, copper, calcium, zinc, maganese, potassium, selenium and lactose, contributes to eye, skin and bone health, no hormones or antibiotics, you can make it yourself at home, good source of omega fatty acids, no refrigeration needed for storage, great addition to smoothies, free of animal byproducts and protects against free radicals. Try this recipe with homemade almond milk!

If you don’t have time to make it on your own, it is good to remember that while most store-bought almond milk contains carrageenan, Silk Unsweetened Almond milk does not. If you choose to buy your Almond Milk, Silk brand is a good choice.

Almond Butter: The number one health benefit of almond butter is that it is good for the heart. It is rich in monounsaturated fats, which are the type of fats that reduce levels of cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart ailments. Almond butter can help control levels of blood sugar in your body by reducing the sudden increase in blood sugar and insulin which usually happens after you eat a carbohydrate-packed meal. This butter is full of antioxidants, such as vitamin E and flavonoids which help protect cells from oxidative stress and reduces the risk of heart disease and other ailments associated with it.

There is a common misconception about nuts and weight gain. Since nuts, such as almonds, are high in calories, many people who are on a weight loss program tend to avoid eating them. However, almonds are high in protein, fiber, and monounsaturated fats. People who eat nuts are less likely to become overweight than those who avoid them.

Honey: Helps to prevent cancer and heart disease, reduces ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-fungal (“All honey is antibacterial, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide,” said Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand). Even though honey contains simple sugars, it is NOT the same as white sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of fructose and glucose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.

When purchasing your honey, raw unprocessed honey is a good choice. 75% of all honey sold in stores contains no honey at all. A comprehensive investigation conducted by Food Safety News (FSN) has found that the vast majority of so-called honey products sold at grocery stores do not contain any pollen, which means they are not real honey. “Raw honey is thought to have many medicinal properties,” says Kathy Egan, dietitian at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass.  ”Stomach ailments, anemia and allergies are just a few of the conditions that may be improved by consumption of unprocessed honey.”

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Banana Almond Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Number of servings: 1

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Blend until smooth. The protein powder can be gritty if you do not blend it long enough.

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 scoop of Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Notes:

Purchase all organic ingredients if possible.

1 banana
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup ice
1 scoop of Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

~ Eat Better. Feel Better.