going bananas

As a part of my "seize the smaller size" campaign (i.e. drop some weight-age), I've been combing the web for sites that offer those rare recipes that promise yumminess with no kickbacks (i.e. weight gain or any other undesirable effects). Alas, I came across one such place: skinnytaste.com. I'm four recipes into this site and so far, uber-happy with them all: nojitos, santa fe chicken, baked bananas and scallion-cilantro rice. Today, I want to talk bananas. 

Something about days lengthening and temps warming brings on the fruit cravings. Now I've always been a bit non-plus about bananas. Sure they work in bread and muffins, and ok, I'll muscle through if they're mingling in a fruit salad or whatnot. But they've just never excited me. Until now. Gina, over at skinnyrecipes.com, posted a recipe for baked bananas and it launched me on an all-out, week-long spree. I was whipping this up as a "second breakfast," a mid-day snack or a post-dinner dessert (dressed up with a 1/2 cup of light vanilla ice cream of course). This week (week 2 of "Banana-rama") I created my own banana-wildness-in-a-bowl, which I'll post second, but first, the original inspiration:




Baked Bananas


Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes


Servings: 1 • Calories: 143 

1 medium ripe banana, cut in half lengthwise

2 tsp honey or agave (I used agave)

cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut bananas in half. Arrange banana in an oven safe dish or on tinfoil. Sprinkle with cinnamon and honey. Cover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how soft you like them.

Now, here's my personal banana creation. Unfortunately, I don't have a fantastic photo to go with it (Gina's a photographer and loves taking photos of food so the pics that accompany her recipes on the site rock.)

Banana-Chocolate Surprise

Heidi's Creation

1 medium or large banana, sliced into circular chunks

16 chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli's milk chocolate)

1/4 cup of whipped cream

1 Tblsp of granola (I use Udi's Gluten Free Vanilla granola)

Place banana slices and chocolate chips into a bowl and microwave for 40 seconds on high. Squirt 1/4 cup of whipped cream on top and then sprinkle granola. Perfect any time of day!!