What a silly title for a couple of easy recipes that are super kid-friendly. Today I’m sharing an easy apple sauce recipe and a very popular, simple and delicious roasted banana recipe that includes cinnamon and chocolate chips for your sweet tooth.
We are on a bit of a health kick over here, eating a ton of lean proteins like lentils, beans and tofu and making sure we are getting all of our vegetable servings and at least a few fruit.
Well, I’m a dessert addict, so times are tough! I decided to try to make a semi-healthy dessert with bananas as the base. Turns out roasting bananas is common and delicious!
We made two versions. One was simply brown sugar and cinnamon. The other was chocolate chips and cinnamon.
Simply cut your banana in half, sprinkle each half with cinnamon and mini chocolate chips. Roast at 350 degrees for 15 minutes in the peel. Yum!
The recipes called for a few pads of butter too, but we skipped it. Bodhi was a fan too!
I decided to throw together a couple of sweet apples, pears, a bit of ground flax-seed (for omega 3’s) and frozen raspberries the other night and came up with a delicious apple sauce! We always buy summer strawberry apple sauce with no sugar added. This home-made version tastes a lot like it but is fresh, healthy and even more delicious.
I just threw it in the blender for 15 to 20 seconds and that’s it! You have fresh apple sauce to enjoy. I guess it’s technically apple-pear sauce. Next time I’m going to go for a fall flavor with cinnamon.
It’s an easy way to get a few servings of fruit and flax. Bodhi ate a bowl by himself. Yum!
Do you have any healthy dessert-like recipes to share? I NEED them!
Check out Chocolate Covered Katie! Her blog is dedicated to healthy desserts, we make the fudge babies often and almost all her stuff is vegan.
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/10/13/make-these-now/
Thank you for the tip!!
Thanks so much, Cass! Delicious looking! Can’t wait to try those.
Throw a couple of frozen bananas in the blender. Just like ice cream but healthy!
Yum Ann! Great idea! I make smoothies with bananas a lot, but how fun to use it as ice cream. You could probably add malt powder and some chocolate syrup too! :)
When doing the banana “ice cream” if you throw in some peanut butter and a little cocoa powder at the end, it really sends if over the edge! So delish! I cannot wait to try your roasted bananas though!
I just made banana bread tonight that calls for one egg- other than that, no fat at all! I sub apple sauce instead of oil. Also, I think pudding is a good dessert option that isn’t quite so bad for you! Lots of calcium! =) P.S. Now I know why you ate that Jana’s frosting on Saturday- you were dessert-deprived!
I freeze bananas, remove from freezer for about 15 minutes to thaw, peel it, toss in 1/2 tsp cocoa powder & blend it. (I just use a hand blender) Tastes like chocolate ice cream/frozen yogurt.
I’m going to give this banana recipe a try!
Do you just bake the bananas in the peel?
I was wondering the same thing about baking in the skin???
Yes, you do bake it in the skin.
Hello! Sorry for not including that. Yes, bake it in the peel. I just changed the text to make that clear. Thanks for stopping by!
When I was a girl scout, we made something very similar called banana boats. Slice the banana in half, add chocolate chips and marshmallows. Put the two halves back together again, wrap in foil, and place on the campfire coals. MMMMMMMM.
do you eat the peel??
No. You just bake it in the peel.
Oh I like it when we keep things simple, and this recipe seems simple, delicious and gorgeous! Will definitely give it a try. Cheers *
I’ve done the bananas in the microwave with chocalate chips. Very yummy and fast. Split the banana on the inside curve and gently push the ends in. Sprinkle with a few chocolate chips and microwave on high for about 45sec. Look for the banana to bubble up a bit. (make sure the stem is trimmed – it is dry and I have made a flambe by accident 1time.)
Do you bake the apples and other fruit 1st before blending for the applesauce?
I don’t, Crystal, but you certainly could.