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Healthy Chicago Cooking Classes

banana

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pretzel Bites {gf, v}

Think mini n’ice-cream pretzel cookie with chocolate, peanut butter and banana filling!

Seriously, where have these been all my life? I’m in love. This Frozen Peanut Nut Butter Banana Pretzel Bite is rich, decadent and the added crunch just takes it over the top!

Such a fun treat and so simple to make. Plus it’s healthier than any ice cream bar you’ll buy at the store. Go ahead, indulge!

Happy eating,
~Monique

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pretzel Bites

1 ripe banana
2 tbls nut butter of choice
1-3 tsp honey
pinch of ground cinnamon
~about 30 mini pretzels (use gf if desired)
1/4 cup dark chocolate
Optional: flaky sea salt

Directions:
Like a small sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay out about 10 mini pretzels. Melt the chocolate and set aside

Smash the banana with the nut butter, honey and cinnamon. Using a small scoop, place 1 tbls of the banana mixture on each mini pretzel. Top each with another pretzel, pressing down lightly.

Drizzle with the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt if desired. Freeze.

TiP If you like softer ice cream -> once solid, let them defrost about 3 minutes before popping in your mouth for a soft-serve effect versus a more solid middle.

3-ingredient Banana Chocolate Truffle {DF, GF, V}

Just three ingredients: banana, chocolate and nut butter. It’s a simple mixture that gets mashed, scooped out and rolled in a topping. Bam- Truffles!

This is a little bit softer truffle, keep it stored in the refrigerator or freezer, but what an awesome little snack that satisfies your sweet tooth and gives a boost of protein.
Happy eating,
~Monique

Banana Chocolate Truffle

1/3 cup Hu chocolate gems
1 ripe banana
3 tbls peanut butter or preferred nut butter
Topping: Toasted coconut flakes, cacao powder, crushed nuts & seeds

Mash the banana and nut butter to a smooth paste. Melt the chocolate and pour into the banana mixture. Mix well.

Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or the freezer for about 30 minutes. Scoop out about a tablespoon of the Banana Truffle mixture (I like to use a small cookie scoop, but two spoons will work). Roll in the topping. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Banana Apple Crisp! {gf, v-optional}

Yesterday was Pi day (3/14) and it nearly escaped me until a reader asked me what pie I was making to honor the day. Knowing I had just done a complete spring cleaning of my refrigerator- I really wasn’t sure I had a thing to work with. A quick check confirmed the only thing in the fridge was condiments and a very nice bottle of champagne.

The only non-pantry ingredients I had on hand were a couple of apples and a banana. Hmmmm….. could I make a pie with those together?? An Apple Banana Pie?

Luckily, my pantry is always stocked with oats, flours, coconut sugars and similar baking basics. I actually turned on my camera for this one and went live in the Happy Eats Healthy Facebook Group– so everyone got to see me create this Apple Banana Crisp from scratch.

Risky, since it could have failed; others in the house were already doubting the idea. But the results were delightful; everyone agreed! Honestly, it’s pretty much a simple apple crisp with hint of banana essence, the actual banana pieces melt swimmingly into the pie.

Adding ripe banana to your apple crisp is a great way to cut down on other added sugars, a total bonus! Measurements don’t need to be exact for any of these ingredients; add more or less sugar and cinnamon to your liking.

I used a small, 6″ cast iron skillet that is 2″ deep. Any pan that will go from stove to oven will work.

Remember to post on social media and tag me if you make this Banana Apple Crisp
Happy eating,
~Monique

Banana Apple Crisp

Banana Apple Filling
1 banana
2 apples (I used green, use your preference)
1/2 tbls ghee (or butter or coconut oil)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
pinch of salt
squeeze lemon juice
Oat topping:
1 cup oats (I used rolled, any will do)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup chopped nuts/ seeds
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons ghee or butter or coconut oil
Optional topping: Coconut Whipped Cream

In a medium bowl, toss the oats, flour, nuts/seeds, cinnamon, salt and coconut sugar. Use your hands to combine the ghee with the dry ingredients, making sure everything is well coated. Set aside.

Peel the apple and banana. Dice into about 2′ pieces. Heat 1/2 tbls of ghee in a pan over medium heat (if possible, use a 6″ pan that can go right into the oven). Add in the apples, toss well and let saute for a minute. Toss in the diced banana, coconut sugar and pinch of salt; let sit and saute for another three to four minutes.

Squeeze lemon over the top and give it a final stir. If needed, pour this into a small pie tin or small oven-safe pan.

Pile the oat topping on top of the apple banana mixture and place in the oven. Bake until golden brown, roughly 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, top with coconut whipped cream if desired.

Notes

  • This makes a small crisp.
  • If I remade it, I might add in one more banana and apple to plump up the filling a bit.
  • Add sugar to your taste palette; I prefer things to be less sweet than the average person.

Banana n’Ice Cream

Banana Ice Cream

2 frozen bananas
~dairy free milk
optionals: nut butter, chocolate, cinnamon, cardamom, frozen berries

Place the bananas in a blender, blend until smooth. Have patience, you will need to stop and scrap the sides a couple of times. Add a spoon or two of milk as needed to get the ice cream to blend; but the more you add the softer the ice cream will end up being.

Eat immediately or place in the freezer to become a little more solidified.

Note: This is more like soft serve than scooping ice cream. You can add flavor by adding anything to it- like cinnamon, peanut butter and chocolate or frozen berries. It helps to slice the bananas and set on a parchment lined sheet pan before you freeze them

In the Happy Eats Healthy with Monique Facebook Group, I topped the Banana Ice Cream with warm almond butter, a drizzle of melted chocolate and a little savory granola. Amazing!!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

A delicious breakfast treat that’s just the perfect amount of sweetness thanks to the strawberries and bananas. But this is a powerhouse smoothie thanks to the hidden greens and walnuts. A great way to use up those berries that are nearing the end.
Happy Eating,
~Monique

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup water
1 cup greens (Swiss chard, arugula, spinach)

Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Add additional water or ice to achieve desired consistency. Enjoy!

Easy Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Bites

I love these super easy Banana Bites for when I need little snack. They are loaded with both protein and good fat while offering a little sweetness to boot. Change up the peanut butter- try almond, walnut, pistachio or any other nut/seed butter.

Freeze these for summer, then you can just pop one in your mouth and you’re good to go! Perfect for an after school snack for kids too.

 

Easy Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Bites

1 banana
Any nut or seed butter: almond, pecan, peanut, walnut, sunflower… options are endless
1/3 cup dark chocolate
1 Tbls coconut oil
Optional toppings: salt, cocoa nibs, crushed nuts
 .
->Slice the banana into 1 inch pieces. Carefully spread a spoon of nut butter on each slice.
->Warm the chocolate along with the coconut oil. Add a dollop of chocolate onto of the nut butter or dip each banana slice in the chocolate to fully submerge it. Top with the optional toppings as desired.
->Allow the chocolate to harden and then enjoy. Store in the freezer for a quick freezer snack.

easy banana snacks

peanut butter chocolate banana bites

Roasted Banana Ice Cream

Banana ‘nice’ cream is all the rage and I totally understand why. It’s simple and delicious. But my Roasted Banana Ice Cream takes that concept to the next creamy, dreamy level. It’s dairy free though you would never know it by the texture.

2 bananas, sliced

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup + 1 tbls brown coconut sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 can full fat coconut milk, cream only (save the water-like liquid for another use)*

roasted bananas for ice cream

Cinnamon roasted bananas

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the bananas about 1″ thick and place close together on a parchment lined sheet pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and 1 tbls coconut sugar. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Blend the cooled bananas with remaining coconut sugar and vanilla until creamy.

To the blender add the coconut milk, blend until mixed and smooth. I then place the mixture in fridge to chill and allow the flavors to meld a bit more, 2 hours up to overnight. Skip this step if you don’t have time.

Process in ice cream maker and enjoy immediately.

*It helps to place one can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Open the can and scoop out the thick cream from the top of the can, leaving the the water-like liquid for another use.

*The roasted bananas give a deep sweetness to this nice cream, but if you like ice cream a little sweeter; add a few more tablespoons of coconut sugar

*Works best if you have an ice cream maker, but you could freeze this in a loaf pan, it will be just a touch icy. Or freeze in ice cube trays, then pop them into the blender until creamy.