CHOCOLATE CHIP FERMENTED BANANA KEFIR BARS

Our health and wellness friend Cathryn Fowler made a special gut happy baked treat, just for you! 

There can be such big ripple effects because of small, simple actions.

One small bite of these chocolate chip fermented banana kefir bars shared with friends, in gratitude, in mindfulness can lead to moments of stress-free joy, rippling into a good night’s sleep. 

One small capsule of Just Thrive Probiotic poured into a jar of bananas, water, and sugar, leads to the release of a powerful army of probiotics and the creation of beneficial enzymes & nutrients - ultimately turning those simple bananas into a powerful digestive ally.

One small act of kindness - genuinely smiling to a stranger or helping them carry their groceries to their car-  can lead to that same stranger feeling inspired, encouraged, and repeating the act for someone else.

One small powerful spore probiotic and antioxidant taken everyday can lead to a decrease in stress, digestive issues, fatigue, sugar cravings, skin irritations, and brain fog, rippling into a happier and healthier life.

Small, simple actions are powerful. You are powerful. Don’t underestimate them or yourself!

A closer dive into the ingredients and process of those chocolate chip fermented banana kefir bars:

Let’s talk bananas. Bananas are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, choline, manganese, and vitamin B6. A few benefits of this yellow fruit: 

• Mood-enhancement: They are high in tryptophan, which converts into serotonin, a mood-elevating neurotransmitter. FYI: the majority of your serotonin is made in your gut, which is where the probiotics play a key role. (This is a fully loaded recipe for gut health and happiness!)
• Digestion: Banana’s high fiber content helps the “flow” of your bowels. (Probiotics also do this.)
• Heart Health: Banana’s are a great source of potassium, which is a mineral electrolyte that keeps electricity flowing in your body, keeping your heart health and beating.

And why ferment them? All those health benefits mentioned above? The addition of probiotics makes them even more powerful. Furthermore, the probiotics and fermentation process reduces the high sugar & starch level that is naturally found in bananas. This makes them a more friendly fruit to those who are trying to limit their sugar/starch intake.

How does this all happen?

In the recipe, when you add your Just Thrive capsule to the bananas, water, and coconut sugar, all those living, good bacteria found in the spore probiotic go on to feed on all the naturally occurring sugars, thereby removing them. While that’s going on, the same living bacteria also create beneficial enzymes, vitamins, and bio-available nutrients and minerals, amping up the nutrition of the humble banana even more. (Thereby proving that, yes, one small action can make a powerful difference - in this case, a more powerful gut-healing and nutritional difference!)

And lastly, the tigernut flour used in the recipe is also a prebiotic, which feeds the good bacteria in your gut.

So all that to say, if you’re looking for a gut-friendly, low sugar, and tasty vegan treat, I bring you these chocolate chip fermented banana kefir bars!

Recipe 

Servings: 8 slices

Prep Time: 4-5 days to ferment bananas, 10 minutes of bread prep

Cook Time: 55-60 minutes

A few Notes/Substitutions:  

• If you don’t want to go through the act of fermenting your bananas, you can just add 1 capsule of Just Thrive probiotics into the mix when you make the bars.
• If fermenting your bananas, start the process 4-5 days in advance of when you want to make the actual bars.
• Sweetener: I used none, but if you like a sweeter bar, I would use 2 TB of your favorite sweetener.
• You can replace the chia eggs with regular eggs if you like more of a fluffy texture/less dense bar.
• Texture: I baked these in a bread pan, but the texture is more like a bar, than a bread.
• You can replace the sprouted buckwheat flour with regular buckwheat flour; it doesn’t have to be sprouted. I just make my own sprouted version for easier digestion. You can also replace the buckwheat flour with more tigernut flour, almond flour, or cassava flour. 

Ingredients:

Fermented Banana Ingredients/Supplies:

• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tall glass jar
• a pinch of sea salt
• 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar
• 1 Just Thrive Probiotic Capsule
• Cloth and a rubber band 

Chocolate Chip Fermented Banana Kefir Bars Ingredients:  

• 1 cup tigernut flour
• 3/4 cup sprouted buckwheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• heaped 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp. ground chia seeds + 6 tbsp. filtered water (you can use two eggs if you want a less dense and more of a fluffy texture.)
• 1 cup fermented bananas
• 1 cup coconut kefir (homemade coconut kefir in this post.)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Sweetener: I used no sweetener, but if you like it sweet, I would add 2 TB of your favorite sweetener.
• Optional herbs/flavorings: 1 tsp cinnamon 

Instructions:

Fermented Banana Directions:

(Make 4-5 days before you want to make your bars.)

1. Cut bananas into medium slices and set aside.
2. Fill a tall glass with room temperature, filtered water.
3. Add the sugar, pinch of salt, and the contents of the probiotic capsule to the water. Stir with a wooden or ceramic spoon until dissolved.
4. Drop the banana slices into the glass and make sure there is about 1-2 inches of room left at the top as the fermented bananas will expand.
5. Cover the jar with a cloth and seal it closed with a rubber band. Or, you can just place the mason jar lid on top, without sealing it shut (it needs air)
6. Let the mixture sit in a dark place for about 4-5 days.
7. After 4-5 days, take bananas out and save the left over water kefir to use again, drink, or use however you want.

Banana Bread Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the ground chia seeds and filtered water. Set aside to thicken for about 5 minutes. In a medium-size bowl, mash together the fermented banana, kefir, and vanilla extract. Add the baking soda and baking powder and whisk again.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and sea salt (and cinnamon if you’re using). Pour in the wet ingredients and stir until well incorporated. Add the chia seed mixture, dark chocolate chips, and walnuts. Stir again until combined.
4. Transfer the batter to the lined loaf pan and bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick poked through the center comes out clean. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes, before removing the loaf from the pan. Once removed, continue cooling completely before slicing.
5. Slice and enjoy (preferably with good company and lots of laughter!) Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months. 

Key Takeaway

Will one small spore probiotic pill fix all your health issues? No. But will it be a powerful drop in your system that helps support your gut lining, digest your food better, support your immunity - leading to less bloating, less sugar cravings, more energy, and better resilience?

Absolutely!

Small actions can have large rippling, life-changing (or gut-changing) effects. 

Try it out for yourself! 

What’s one small act you can do today that might have a larger rippling effect?