I decided that once a week, I was going to buy a food that I had never cooked or baked with before, and try it out! There are just so many unique foods out there that I feel like I have never gotten to taste!
This past week, I decided to buy a plantain..
I know plantains aren’t all that unique, as they are so similar to a banana which I eat every day. But I had never actually cooked with it myself. On my missions trip to Haiti a few summers ago, the Haitian’s would make these delicious fried plantains every single night. It was love at first taste.
A few things I learned about plantains upon making this recipe: 1) don’t eat them uncooked, trust me from experience, it doesn’t taste like a banana. 2) They are bitter without applying heat in some form. 3) They certainly don’t peel like a banana. 4) THEY ARE NOT A BANANA. 5) And lastly as an actual fun fact, they aren’t a fruit, they are a veggie!
However, I know that those were anything but healthy, as they were fried in oils and coated in sugar. But I wanted to attempt to remake something similar!
The ones I ate in Haiti were almost like cakes, really thick and juicy. But I decided I wanted to make more of a crispy chip-like plantain. I don’t know, there is just something about the crunch and crispiness of a chip or cracker that I love. I love it so much better than soft baked goods like muffins or bagels. Everything in my eyes is better crunchy. Toast instead of bread. Pizza crust=the best part of the slice. You get my drift?
And then I decided, what better idea than to make a very simple coconut dip, to pair perfectly with these plantain chips? Without even meaning to, I ended up making it paleo as well! Yum.
They were the perfect snack. Let’s just say you should definitely make more than one plantain like I did. Because these did not last more than an hour very long. I may have eaten a little too much.
Oops. #sorryI’mnotsorry
- 1 Yellow Plantain
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Shredded Coconut
- 1/4 cup Egg Whites
- 1 tablespoon Raw Honey (or stevia/sugar)
- Sea Salt to sprinkle
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Remove peel from plantain and slice thin
- In small one cup bowl, mix together egg whites and honey
- In a shallow bowl, place the shredded coconut
- Take each slice of plantain, dip in egg white mixture and then coat in coconut on both sides
- Place on cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick spray
- Repeat with each slice
- Sprinkle salt on all slices on tray before cooking
- Place cookie sheet into oven for 15 minutes
- Remove, flip chips, and cook for another 7 minutes
- Remove from oven and allow to cool
- Serve with Paleo Coconut Dip below
- 1 cup Canned Coconut Milk (can be lite)
- 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
- 2 tablespoons Raw Honey
- 1 tablespoon Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- Dash of Sea Salt
- Optional: 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Mix all ingredients together in bowl
- Serve with fruit, crackers, or use as a spread!
- Store in refrigerator in sealed container
Plantain Benefits
1) Good source of Fiber
2) Being a vegetable, it’s a good, unique source of one
3) Rich in Potassium, which regulates heart beat, enables proper muscle functioning, and plays a role in digestive health
4) High in vitamin A, which is involved in many bodyily functions: reproduction, immunity, communication between cells, and eye protection
5) High in vitamin C and Niacin, which support skin and digestive health
Coconut Benefits
1)Fights viruses and bacteria growth in body
2)Fights yeast, fungus, and candida
3) Positively affects hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control which leads to increase metabolism, energy and endurance
4)Aids in digestion
5)Absorbs fat soluble vitamins
6)Lowers cholesterol
7)Special fat called medium chain triglycerides (Research shows 2T a day allowed women not only to gain less weight but lower abdominal fat)
Raw Honey Benefits
1) Alkaline-forming food that contains natural vitamins, enzymes, and powerful antioxidants
2)Anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties
3)Promotes body and digestive health
4)Strengthens immune system
5)Eliminates allergies
6)Excellent remedy for skin wounds and infections
7)Stabilizes blood pressure
8)Relieves pain
9)Calm nerves