Dark Chocolate Frozen Banana Protein Bites

Summer time treats are either high in sugar or high in empty calories.  My favorite treat is frozen bananas which mimic great ice cream and are full of fat free goodness plus potassium.  And did you know that our bodies retain extra fluid in the hot summer months and potassium helps to flush out excess fluids and toxins.  Little powerhouse bites!

INGREDIENTS:  
3 - 4  Small Bananas cut into 1" bites
6 oz Dark Chocolate chopped
1/2 tsp Coconut Oil
5-6g of Unflavored Collagen Peptides Protein (usually 1/2 scoop) 
Sea Salt Flakes
Toothpicks or small skewer sticks

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
1/2 C Chopped Nuts
1/2 C Chopped Unsweetened Coconut
1/2 C Chopped Dried Fruit

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place cut bananas onto a parchment lined cookie sheet FREEZE for 1 hour.  

2. Using a small saucepan, bring water to a soft boil and place a metal bowl over to create a double boiler.  Melt the chocolate and coconut oil over the double boiler till just melted, then stir in Collagen.  Do not over cook otherwise your chocolate will seize up. Remove from heat.

3.- Remove frozen banana bites, insert a toothpick or skewer stick and dip in the melted chocolate/coconut oil.  Place back on the parchment paper.  Sprinkle the top of the banana with a few grains of sea salt.  Then roll in your favorite topping.  Be creative.  Chopped nuts or unsweetened coconut are perfect but did you know that chopped dried fruit like acai berries, strawberries or goji berries will add nutrient dense flavor?

4. Place back in freezer covered till ready to eat!

 DARK CHOCOLATE BENEFITS
 - Rich in antioxidants
 - High in fiber
 - Contains great minerals like iron and magnesium
 - Cocoa helps to reduce cortisol which is a stress hormone.  What does that mean for your skin?  Less stress                          hormones mean less collagen breakdown in the skin with helps the skin retain structure...true skinfood.

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 COCONUT BENEFITS
 - High in natural Saturated Fats which increase healthy cholesterol levels (HDL) and help to convert bad cholesterol levels (LDL) to HDL
- Contain Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) which are fatty acids that metabolize in the body differently than Long Chain Triglycerides in other oils.  This means converted to energy quicker resulting in less stored fat and easier to digest.
-Reduces internal inflammation 
- Boosts the immune system

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SEA SALT BENEFITS
- Unprocessed sea salt does contain sodium but also retains all essential natural elements such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and iodine which are essential for health. CAUTION:  Please omit all salt if under advisement from your doctor or you have high blood pressure.
- Helps to maintain the body's electrolytes that is important when losing those electrolytes while sweating.

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COLLAGEN BENEFITS
- Great for strengthening hair and retaining collagen in the skin.
- Beneficial in healing leaky gut
- Perfect protein option for those allergic to nuts, peas, eggs and dairy
- Improves liver function
- Increased energy 
​- Boots metabolism

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