Marissa LaliberteUpdated: Jun. 04, 2021
We love you, banana bread, but it’s time to see other people. These recipes are all free from added sugar, oil, and flour.
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Banana “soft serve”
Literally all you need for a frozen, spoonable treat is some overripe bananas.Freeze banana chunks for at least two hours, then puree them in a food processor or blender for about five minutes. You can add vanilla or cocoa powder if you want, but it makes a tasty dessert as is, too. You can eat it right after blending or pop it back in the freezer to harden a bit more. It tastes like ice cream but is way healthier!(Find out why you should always leave the “strings” on your bananas.)
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Two-ingredient pancakes
Skeptics, take note: These two-ingredient pancakes taste way closer to your favorite brunch recipe than you’d think. Just mash two large eggs into a medium banana until the batter is liquidy. Drop the batter onto a griddle and flip when the bottom is golden brown. Cook for another minute or so, then serve it with toppings like syrup, jelly, or fresh fruit. If you aren’t adding banana, checkout these these tricks to cook perfect eggs every time.
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Oatmeal mix-in
When you cook overripe banana, it becomes melty and caramelized—a great substitute for brown sugar in your morning bowl of oatmeal. Just pop however much banana you want in the microwave until it gets gooey, then stir it into your normal bowl of unflavored oatmeal. (We recommend using thisone type of oatmeal that helpsyou burn calories all day.) If you want, you can add peanut butter, cocoa powder, or fresh or dry fruit. Check out these other ways to use bananas—besides eating them.
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Strawberry banana colada smoothie
Banana is a go-toingredient in healthysmoothies like these, and the overripe ones in your freezer make it even better. Try this tropical-inspired recipe: Blend a frozen banana with 1 cup coconut milk. Add ¾ cup strawberries, 1/3 cup pineapple, ½ cup Greek yogurt, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Top it with toasted coconut if you want. Now put in a straw and a mini umbrella, and pretend you’re on a beach getaway.Here are other superfood smoothie recipes that will start your morning off right.
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Homemade fudge pops
For a chocolaty treat, make your own version of a fudge pop. Combine three bananas, 1 cup coconut milk, 4 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt in a blender. Pour into Dixie cups, put in a popsicle stick, and freeze for at least four hours. Check out these other healthy frozen desserts you can indulge in guilt-free.
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Oatmeal raisin breakfast cookies
These handheld bites won’t taste like grandma’s oatmeal raisin cookies, but they do make a great grab-and-go breakfast. To make them, preheat your oven to 350°F. Mash an overripe banana, then mix it with ¼ cup peanut butter. Add in ½ cup rolled oats, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons of raisins, and a pinch or two of salt. Roll balls and flatten, then bake for about 14 minutes. Keep them in an airtight container for tomorrow’s breakfast or for a quick snack.Here are more food hacks for the healthiest breakfast ever.
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Four-ingredient sweet potato muffins
These sweet potato banana bites aren’t overly sweet, but they’re an easy snack that’s versatile to your taste. Cook a medium sweet potato (nuking it will speed things up), then mash it with a medium overripe banana. Stir in ¼ cup nut butter, two eggs, cinnamon, and any mix-ins you want, such as chocolate chips or fresh blueberries. Spoon into a greased mini muffin tin and bake at 375°F for 18 minutes. Do you know the actual difference between sweet potatoes and yams? Here are more commonly confused foods.
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Vegan oat bars
Mix 1 ½ cups mashed banana, ¼ cup ground flaxseed, ½ cup walnuts, ½ cup water, and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Once it’s all stirred together, add 3 cups of oats. Transfer the mixture to a large baking pan, pressing it down with your fingers. Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, then let cool for another ten minutes putting it upside down on a cookie sheet and cutting it into squares. Pop in the oven for another 15 minutes, then flip the squares and cook five minutes more for an even brown color. Here’s what happens to your body on a vegan diet.
Sources: greenlitebites.com, thekitchn.com, chocolatecoveredkatie.com, halfbakedharvest.com, alimentageuse.com, theleangreenbean.com, lovefoodeat.com
Originally Published: September 27, 2017
Originally Published in Reader's Digest
Marissa Laliberte-Simonian is a London-based associate editor with the global promotions team at WebMD’s Medscape.com and was previously a staff writer for Reader's Digest. Her work has also appeared in Business Insider, Parents magazine, CreakyJoints, and the Baltimore Sun. You can find her on Instagram @marissasimonian.
