Video/Recipe: Grain-Free Coconut Banana Blueberry Bars

Blueberries add flavor, texture and a slew of antioxidants to any baked product. Antioxidants consist of a group of vitamins, minerals and enzymes that help bind up harmful metabolic by-products called “free radicals” that can lead to tissue and DNA damage, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other age-related diseases. Free radicals are highly reactive compounds that are formed from normal metabolic functions in the body and also when our cells are exposed to a variety of substances such as radiation, chemicals, pollution, smoke, drugs, alcohol, pesticides and the sun. A poor diet also contributes to the formation of free radicals. Anthocyanin (the pigment that makes blueberries blue) contains naturally occurring plant chemicals called polyphenols which have very high antioxidant characteristics. The darker, deeper blue fruits have the highest anthocyanin values, thereby supplying the most potent antioxidant sources.

The USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston has developed an assay called ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), which rates the antioxidant capacity of foods. Fresh blueberries have a high level of ORAC, at 2400 per 100 grams. Researchers have found that blueberries rank #1 in antioxidant activity when compared to 40 common fresh fruits and vegetables.

Coconut Banana Blueberry Bars

Ingredients

4 medium bananas (well spotted)

7 whole eggs (pastured if possible)

4 Tablespoon coconut oil

2 Tablespoon raw honey

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup coconut flour (where to buy high quality coconut flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

6 – 8 ounces of fresh or frozen blueberries (organic if possible)

Instructions

• Using a food processor , puree the bananas
• Add the 7 eggs and process
• Add the honey, oil and vanilla and process
• Add the coconut flour, baking soda and salt and process until smooth
• Pour into a well oiled 9×13 baking dish lined with parchment paper
• Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes. Check it and bake another 10 minutes, covered if it is too browned on top

This recipe is linked to: Sugar Free Sunday, Seasonal Sunday, La Bella Vita, My Meatless Monday, Melt in Mouth Monday, Midnight Maniac Monday, My Meatless Monday, Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival, Hearth and Soul Hop, Made From Scratch Tuesday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Tuesday at Table, Tasty Tuesday, Grain-Free Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, What’s Cooking Wednesday, What’s On The Menu Wednesday, Gluten-Free Homemaker, Real Food Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Real Food Weekly, Simple Lives Thursday, Tip Day Carnival, Pennywise Platter, Foodie Wednesday, Frugal Follies, Recipe Swap Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Food Trip Friday, Fight Back Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck, Fun With Food Friday, Foodie Friday, La Bella Vita

Tagged as: banana, blueberry, coconut, coconut flour, coconut oil, eggs