Here is a recipe for knock-off Nelly’s style lower histamine coconut bars.
I developed this recipe to taste like Nelly’s Organics Coconut Bars sold online and at food co-ops. I find that a full Nelly’s bar is too sweet to eat at once, so this recipe tries to approximate half of a bar. They are great for energy when you have MCAS and are on the go, or for a sweet holiday treat!
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Table of Contents
Ingredient notes for these lower histamine coconut bars
These bars are made with ChocZero sugar-free maple syrup and ChocZero sugar free baking chips. If tolerated you can easily switch them out for pure maple syrup and regular chocolate chips.
What is MCAS?
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition that affects all organ systems. MCAS is serious and disabling and people with MCAS experience often significant and debilitating symptoms daily, including anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.
MCAS is often found in combination with other chronic conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Frequently healthcare providers do not know about MCAS, and the tests for MCAS are problematic because they are not uniformly reliable. MCAS can be difficult to manage. Treatments include blocking mast cell mediators with anti-histamines and mast cell stabilizers, as well as avoiding triggers.
Check out this post on how to manage MCAS.
Why this recipe?
This recipe is low in carbs, higher in fat, protein, and fiber, while still being lower in histamine and histamine-releasing foods, lower in oxalates, and free of nightshades, grains, and gluten. Eating a diet lower in carbs and inflammatory foods can help to control histamine intolerance. To learn more about the lower histamine diet click here!
The bucket theory
The bucket theory offers a helpful analogy for understanding symptom reactions with MCAS.
Think of your body as an empty bucket that you want to keep from overflowing. Different foods and activities fill your histamine bucket at different speeds but they combine to form the total level of histamine in your body (how full your bucket is). A fuller bucket means you have more histamine symptoms. When you manage triggers, reduce exposure to known triggers, and take medications and supplements to reduce histamine, you can manage the level of your bucket.
Know your typical symptom progression
Knowing your symptom progression in a symptom flare is the key to developing your own rescue plan. In this post, I discuss how to determine your own symptom progression. Once you know what typically happens in your symptom progression you can design a rescue plan to address those symptoms.
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Here’s the recipe for coconut bars
Lower Histamine Coconut Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp raw cashews
- 2 tbsp ChocZero Sugar-Free Maple Syrup or pure maple syrup if tolerated
- 1 tsp coconut flour
- ½ tsp vanilla extract or ⅛ tsp. pure vanilla powder
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp coconut oil
- 3 oz. ChocZero chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place the first six ingredients plus the 2 T. coconut oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is well combined. Put into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and form about 9 patties with the mixture. It will warm from the heat of your hands. Set aside the patties while you melt the chocolate. Alternatively, pack the mixture into a 4 x 6-inch rectangular glass container.
- In a small glass bowl melt the chocolate chips and 1 t. coconut oil (either over a double-boiler, or in the microwave on low). Stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Using a spoon and fork, gently drop a patty into the chocolate mixture. Flip it over to entirely enrobe it in chocolate, allowing it to drain a bit on the fork before placing the coated patty on a plate or piece of parchment paper to set up. Repeat with the remaining patties. Keep chilled or frozen until ready to eat. Or if you packed the mixture into the glass container, simply spread the melted chocolate mixture over the top, chill for about 20 minutes, and cut it into six bars.
What do you think?
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