Smart Choice starts with You! I made what I called: Koko Bar 😁👍😋❤️🌺

With our day to day busy life, we want something efficient and powerful source of nutrients and energy. Something on the go that is quick, wholesome, healthy and beneficial to our health; hence we usually pick up a protein and energy bar for breakfast, midday snack, or after a workout. I do purchase many brands but I am not completely satisfied with the taste (either too dry or too sweet). I am not so sure what other undisclosed ingredients and what source of protein powders in those bars, plus how can they last up to a year?! 🤔

Therefore, I have been making my own protein bars as they are so quick, easy, fulfilling, and I can control what goes in there based on my tastebuds and what is essential and safe for individual health. If you haven’t made them, I’d love to share my recipe with you. 😋🤗❤️

Baking instruction:

Turn on the stove preheat at 300F for 20 mins while preparing my batch.

1. Mash 3 organic bananas into mushy paste. (3x1.3g=3.9g protein)

2. Add 2 cups of raw rolled oats. (2x11g=22g protein)

3. One cup of unsweetened, unsalted, organic peanut butter. (57g protein). You can replace with organic almond butter if you are allergic to peanuts which is very common for many.

4. Add your favorite nuts/ trail mix. Mine are: dried cranberries, dark chocolate, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, dried blueberries, dried cherries, and cashews. (120g of these mix= 13g protein)

5. You can add vanilla extract and/or any of your favorite protein powder. I use my favorite Vital proteins collagen peptides powder.

Add slowly and stir as you go to distribute all these evenly.

I use my baking pan size 12x7 inches so I managed to get 8-16 pieces out of one batch. (Roughly calculated about 12-15g of protein in each bar)

Bake for 25 minutes then take it out, let it sit for 10 minutes to cool down and cut in pieces. Let them cool completely and store them away.

I like to wrap each piece in foil paper and keep them in ziplock bag. If you prefer to leave in your cabinet, they last about 1 week; in the fridge is about 1 month.

Some of the health benefits from my ingredients I used in these snack bars:

Bananas are rich in fiber, antioxidants and several nutrients. It may aid weight loss because they’re low in calories and high in nutrients and fiber. Bananas are a good dietary source of potassium and magnesium which are essential for heart health.

Oat is a good source of carbs, protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber, especially for the unique beta-glucan which is soluble fiber that is beneficial to our health.

Unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter is a good source of protein and essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. It is legume protein which is much lower in methionine and cysteine compared to animal protein.

Trail mix has no artificial flavors, preservative free, low in sodium, and a good source of magnesium which are great for antioxidants and heart health.

Here are the sources you can check them out for health benefits:

healthline.com/nutrition/11...

healthline.com/nutrition/9-...

healthline.com/nutrition/an...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

⚠️Disclaimer: Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional before changing in your diets/medication/life style.

[Hidden]

I usually share these with my family and friends as self-care gifts. 😊❤️

😋👍

[Kainan]

That's amazing Koko! I'm sure they turned out to your liking. You certainly have a knack for DIY projects. When you are uninterested in the store brands or want to avoid them, you can easily just whip up your own specialty; I'm immensely impressed by your creativity and attitude towards healthy eating

[Hidden in reply to Kainan]

Awe thank you Kainan for saying this! 🙏🤗

I’ve noticed I’ve been very unsatisfied with store brands even the healthiest brands for long time and I should be more proactive with my food intakes. 😁👍

It takes only 20 mins to make, just leave them in the stove for another 25 mins, time it and go do your thing. Would you make them yourself after reading this? If so what would you like in Kainan Bar? 😋👍

[Kainan in reply to Hidden]

You’re welcome ☺️ I wouldn’t call it that though. No I’m not like you I just go for the ones that look good. I actually like those ONE bars. Koko bars have a nice ring to it ☺️

[Hidden in reply to Kainan]

Awe thank you Kainan and I understand you don’t wanna make it 😂🤣😅

So what’s in ONE bar? 🧐😁

[Kainan in reply to Hidden]

Stuff that I can’t pronounce 😅😅

[Hidden in reply to Kainan]

My rule if I can’t pronounce it, throw it away 😂🤣😂

[Kainan in reply to Hidden]

Great rule 👌

[ZazenRiver345]

Such a brilliant idea, my eyes lit up when I saw it👍😁. Great way to get an energy boost without all those unwanted ingredients I see in the bars at the store. Lots of magnesium which a lot of Americans dont get enough of. I definitely need to have some Koko bars. Thanks for sharing this idea! Id say keep up your creativity, but I know you will.🙏😉🤗

[Hidden in reply to ZazenRiver345]

Awe thank you Zazen for saying this! 🤗🙏

NO unknown and unwanted ingredients go into my snack/food these days.🙅‍♀️

I’ve been throwing out many wheat stuffs from my cabinet and fridge too. 😅

I think next batch will be fig or peach bars 😋

I’ll send you virtual Koko bars for now! 😂

Okay just like I asked Kainan, would you make your own Zazen Bar after reading koko’s post ? 😁👍

[ZazenRiver345 in reply to Hidden]

I'm glad your throwing the wheat away as I have a lot of negative feelings about it👍😁. Fig or peach sounds delicious 😋. Yes I would absolutely be open to creating a Zazen bar.😁👍

[Hidden in reply to ZazenRiver345]

Perfect answer! 👌🤗

[Hidden]

Hi Koko your high protein Koko bars look so good so thanks for sharing the recipe as I agree about foods with long shelf life.

These are additive free and pack a nutritional punch which's what its all about so nice one.😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Jerry for saying that! 😄🙏

I love to apply what I have learned into practice.

I am happy to share my recipe with everyone. 🤗

Thank you Jerry for inspiring me to bake and I’m glad to be here in HE amongst friends with great health awareness! 😊🙏🌺

[Fran182716 Prediabetic]

These look great, I have been looking for a similar recipe, have bookmarked this one. In the UK a lot of our dried fruit has sulphur dioxide in but I can probably find some organic ones that don’t. Have you tried freezing these? Though a month in the fridge is pretty good storage life. Thank you 😀

[Hidden in reply to Fran182716]

Thank you Fran182716 for saying that! 😊🙏

In USA, we have this brand called O Organics and they have big size bag of these dried fruits with great price. I usually divide them into ziplock bags and keep them fresh in my freezer. 👍

As far as these bars go, I share with my parents and friends so I just keep some for myself good enough for 1 week-1 month. You can freeze them which can last up to 3 months for sure.

You are always welcome! 😁👍

[Kitten-whiskers Administrator Vegan star]

They look and sound wonderful and what a great gift idea 😁

How yummy, may have to give this a whirl - they look so good

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

Thank you Debs for saying that! 🤗🙏❤️

Please try and add your special and unique touch to create Debs Bars. 😋👍

It’s definitely a wonderful and yummy gifts as my soccer mom best friend said she loves to carry them with her when she’s so hungry always on the go. 😅

Hope you have a good day at work! 😁

[Kitten-whiskers Administrator Vegan star in reply to Hidden]

Thats really great. Just come back from reflexology so I have happy feet 🙃

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

That sounds absolutely heaven to me ! ❤️ Have you tried soaking your feet after reflexology in episom salt and lavender oil? 😇Now you are absolutely relaxed and ready to make your fantastic dinner! 😋

[Kitten-whiskers Administrator Vegan star in reply to Hidden]

I might try that tonight 😁 I've got an almost empty fridge and freezer now 😮 I best get cracking

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

For sure enjoy Debs 😇

I got home from a walk to my supermarket just now, we gotta keep the fridge and freezer fully stocked. 😁👍

I’m making some flan 🍮 since I got my pad Thai leftovers. 😋

[Kitten-whiskers Administrator Vegan star in reply to Hidden]

Oh yummy - I will look forward to your post , trouble is I can not buy anything from supermarket -because absolutely everything seems to contain something that will upset the IBS .

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

Yes I’ll post it once it’s done. 😋👍

Hmmm that’s true which makes most of your shopping is online I reckon. I think it’s great too since the pandemic, we can limit contacts. 😁👍

[Kitten-whiskers Administrator Vegan star in reply to Hidden]

😁

[Hidden]

Thank you Happyman4 for saying that! 😊🙏

You can just use dark chocolate or whatever jam too to make Happyman Bars! 😋👍

Hope you have a great day ahead! 😁

[Hidden]

Ohh yayyy! 😁 I made pad Thai today 😋

[Hidden]

Yes, I made my version of gluten-free and vegan pad Thai. I’m so glad I found Thai kitchen rice noodle for this dish! I made the post 😁👍