Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Name: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Ingredients: 4 overripe bananas mashed (I always keep peeled, over-ripe bananas in the freezer and then just pull out what I need for certain recipes); 3 c. water; 1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable oil); 2 t. vanilla; 1 t. salt; 1/4 c. brown sugar; 2 T. ground flax seed (totally optional and will not change the taste at all); 1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut; 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (you could also do raisins or other dried fruit if you didn’t want to do chocolate); 6 c. traditional oats (not quick cooking); additional shredded coconut for topping (optional)