I’ll be the first to admit I love having treats around the house from time to time. Even better are homemade desserts that boost vitality and fight off free-radicals, like my new Coconut Berry Energy Bark recipe. Combining probiotic-rich, dairy-free yogurt with berries, cacao, coconut nectar and flakes, this is one delicious recipe that is bursting with goodness! Bonus points, you can throw this Coconut Berry Energy Bark recipe together in a manner of minutes, and still have plenty of time to enjoy your warm summer day. Cha-ching!
Probiotic-Rich Yogurt
If you have been following me for a while now, Beauties, then you know that I am a huge advocate of probiotics. Probiotics are what I like to call our “helpful” bacteria. This is because they help balance your microbiome by balancing your body’s “good” and “bad” bacteria. Probiotics are especially helpful after taking antibiotics, which can wipe out much of the good bacteria, leading to digestive discomfort and issues. When you use probiotics to treat your stomach, your mental health may also improve. They can even help with heart health by breaking down bile and allowing food to go through the body more smoothly.
One simple and effective way to introduce probiotics into your life is with supplementation. My Feel Good SBO Probiotics + is a unique & powerful formula contains prebiotics, postbiotics and multiple probiotic strains of soil-based organisms (SBOs) that boost immunity, health and wellness. SBOs are vegan non-dairy strains that don’t require refrigeration, and unlike many dairy-based probiotics, they’re much heartier and can survive stomach acid to implant in your gut, creating the balance you need! Soil based probiotics most closely reflect what would be found in nature, eating wild or unwashed organic food.
Another way I can suggest that you get in these mighty gems is from your food sources. You may be familiar with yogurt being linked to as a popular source of probiotics, and rightfully so! Various yogurts contain different numbers and types of bacteria species. So be mindful of picking up just any old brand when you are gathering your ingredients for this Coconut Berry Energy bark recipe. Look for labels that list “live and active cultures.”
Dairy-Free Yogurt
Equally important that you seek out for this Coconut Berry Energy Bark recipe is dairy-free yogurt. I like the coconut milk-based yogurt from a brand called So Delicious. It is dairy-free and soy-free, and it tastes pretty good. There are plenty of others on the market that work wonderfully for this recipe. We are lucky to live in a time with tons of options, so be sure to try a few until you find the one you like.
No matter the brand you choose, what really matters here is that we avoid acid forming in the body. Dairy-filled yogurt can actually create an acid imbalance in the body. What’s more, dairy products are continually being linked to causing a loss of calcium from our bones, leading to conditions like osteoporosis. This might seem to backward to hear, but it’s true! We always hear the opposite about dairy products. But we have to look at absorbability and the net overall effect of food, not just what is listed on the nutrition label.
Dairy yogurts are highly mucus-forming. And we certainly don’t want anything clogging up our skin when we are enjoying this delicious Coconut Berry Energy Bark. If you have ever struggled with acne, let me suggest that you stop consuming dairy. Your skin will thank you for it! Why bother with congestive foods when we can find dairy-free alternatives that are loaded with all the right health benefits?
Antioxidant-Rich Berries
On that note, another top health tip that I believe is so important to remind you of, is to indulge in more antioxidant-rich foods. We ALL can benefit from a little antioxidant defense to boost our health and beauty. For a quick reminder, antioxidants are compounds that fight free-radicals. Free-radicals have been linked to aging, cell damage, wrinkles, inflammation and disease. So, if your goal is to stay healthy and beautiful inside and out, antioxidants should be a key part of your diet.
Getting your antioxidants in is easy with this Coconut Berry Energy Bark recipe. For instance, blueberries contain a special group of antioxidants that are called carotenoids and flavonoids. While strawberries also contain a dynamic and powerful range of antioxidants, which include anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol. As you can see this Coconut Berry Energy Bark recipe is brimming with a variety of powerful antioxidants! Who would have thought that you can make yourself a yummy treat while also working to destroy potentially aging free-radicals in an amazing way?!
While we recognize all the antioxidant-rich properties that strawberries and blueberries have to offer, they come with their share of other amazing factors too. For example, studies link strawberries’ biological activities that spread to other pathways involved in cellular metabolism and cellular survival. Pair that with blueberries, which are also are super rich in vitamin C, and you’ll be loading up with tons of health benefits once you make this delicious treat!
Energy Bursting Cacao
Now Beauties, you may know by now that I am not a proponent of over-stimulating ourselves with caffeine and other stimulants. I believe that we can get all the energy our bodies need by eating foods that best serve us, combined in the right ways. Getting plenty of sleep and hydrating our bodies can also give you more energy than you will know what to do with.
Speaking of sleep, do you need a little help in the sleep department? Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Maybe you wake up feeling groggy and exhausted and you are ready to wake up with more mental clarity. If you experience ANY challenges with your sleep, and you know your sleep could be deeper and more restful…the SleepWell System is for you. Check it out!
Every once in awhile, it is nice to treat yourself to something that gives you a little energy boost, and cacao is just the ticket! This delicious treat comes with its fair share of theobromine, resulting in similar effects as caffeine. So while we love cacao and it makes a great addition to my Coconut Berry Energy Bark recipe, we like to use it sparingly so we aren’t up all hours of the night.
Our bodies can benefit from healthy sources of energy in such a variety of ways. In Ayurveda, we say that when you have a little cacao, you are opening up the energy of your heart chakra, Anahata. The energy of Anahata is why cacao also promotes feelings of love and joy. Cacao contains the neurotransmitter anandamide. This is known as the “bliss chemical”, helping us connect with that oh so lovely feeling.
Time To Make Your Coconut Berry Energy Bark
I want to arm you always with a wide variety of EASY recipes so you actually make them! Easy and simple is how I eat, and how I encourage you to also, so you get the best results, long-term. You can make this Coconut Berry Energy Bark in just a few simple steps.
Simply start off by stirring together your coconut yogurt and coconut nectar in a medium-size mixing bowl. Then take this mixture and pour it onto your baking sheet, that is lined with foil. Next comes the fun part. Layer on your strawberries, blueberries, coconut flakes and cacao nibs. Once you have these yummy toppings arranged, pop it in the freezer for 3 hours or so, until it is nice and hard, and voila!
Once the Coconut Berry Energy Bark is completely frozen, you can remove it from the freezer, break it into serving-size pieces and enjoy. We all deserve to have healthy and delicious treats around the house. This will keep up to two weeks in the freezer and at the point, you can easily make yourself another batch! I told you this recipe is so simple and totally worth it!
I hope you come to love this recipe as much as I do Beauties! Be sure to take a photo of your creations, post it on your Instagram story and tag me. I love to see what you make! And don’t forget to share this recipe with all your followers on Pinterest. Sending you so much love!
Coconut Berry Energy Bark
Ingredients
- 4 cups of unsweetened coconut yogurt
- 4 Tbs. coconut nectar
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 1 cup of strawberries chopped
- ½ cup shredded coconut flakes
- ½ cup of cacao nibs
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with foil.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together coconut yogurt and coconut nectar.
- Pour your yogurt mixture onto your baking sheet.
- Layer on your strawberries, blueberries, coconut flakes and cacao nibs.
- Place your bark in the freezer for 3 hours, until it is nice and hard.
- Once the bark is completely frozen, remove it from the freezer and break it into serving-size pieces.
- Keep out whatever you would like to enjoy and store the remaining bark in the freezer. Will keep up to 2 weeks in the freezer.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was on Instagram!
Yogurt bark is such a great idea! I tried this recipe with mini chocolate chips in place of the fruit and nibs (I’ll try your healthier version next time) and honey instead of the nectar. It was so quick and easy to make and very satisfying to my sweet-tooth. I’m looking forward to trying lots of different add-ins in the future. Love it!
Hi Kim! Wonderful recipes! Quick question- aren’t we not suppose to combine fruits such as berries with anything else other than fruits or greens? Can you clarify this? Thank you! :)
Hi Beauty! Thanks for tuning in, I am so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipes :) Coconut yogurt and coconut nectar are often considered fruits when it comes to food combining (because they come from fruit and not dairy), which makes them acceptable to combine with berries here. When it comes to beauty pairing above all, I am all about eating what is the most simple for your digestion and listening to your body. Sending you lots of love xx
what is coconut nectar?
Hi Beauty! Coconut nectar is a sweetener made from fresh coconut sap, which has much less sugar and many more enzymes and nutrients than other sweeteners. If you’re looking to buy coconut nectar, I recommend finding one that is 100% pure, organic and raw. Happy cooking! xx
Delicious I’m going to try it out
Instead of coconut nectar .Here in Sicily they sell concentrated dates syrup which is a delicious sweetener … Have you ever heard of it ? If you have what do you think about it ? It’s totally made with dates no added sugar
Hi Beauty! Date syrup works great as a substitute for coconut nectar. It’s a good natural sweetener option, but I encourage enjoying it in moderation, as it’s a highly concentrated form of natural sugar. Sending you lots of love in Sicily! xx
Great idea going to do it today
Hi Kimberly!
I’m excited to try this recipe! I went to my local whole foods this evening and they ran out of coconut nectar. I was curious if there was a substitute you recommend? I have honey and maple syrup at home – either of these work?
Thanks so much.
Samangha
Hi Samantha – thanks for your question. Yes, you can use honey as it has a similar consistency as the coconut nectar, whereas maple syrup is a bit runnier. Let us know how you do and sending you lots of love! Xo