You all know me! Trying out new foods all the time. This time around I had the chance to try out a plantain for the first time, AKA the “ugly bananas”! I ran into Kroger with my daughter to pick up some ingredients for some homemade popsicles that I will be creating this week. We were checking out the exotic fruits and a big plantain made its way into my shopping basket. I only purchased one. I had no clue what I was going to do with it but I wanted to bring it home anyway. I got home and did a bit of research on plantains. You do not want to eat these things raw. I did discover that these are best prepared cooked because if you bite into a raw one you are going to experience a bitter taste. You will not get sick eating a raw one but you will likely regret the taste in your mouth! I needed to figure out a plan of action with the plantain. I was sent a variety pack of SmashMallows to review. I already have a special recipe post drafted up for National S’mores Day (August 10th) featuring these yummy marshmallows. So I figured I could somehow incorporate the Cinnamon Churro flavor with the plantain. I made a roasted s’mores banana earlier this year and it turned out fantastic! I had the idea to use my plantain with the SmashMallows and roast it all up. I sprinkled some unsweetened coconut on it and a bit of cinnamon and cardamom.
I could not wait to tear into this when it popped out of the oven! I really enjoyed the taste of the plantain combined with the SmashMallows. After roasting the plantain for 13 minutes it had softened and was the perfect texture to eat.
Ingredients:
- 1 plantain
- 6-8 Cinnamon Churro SmashMallows (or as many as you can cram inside!)
- Tablespoon of unsweetened coconut
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
- Sprinkle of cardamom
Recipe:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Slice the plantain down the middle but not completely. Leave a little space at top & bottom.
- Stuff the plantain with the SmashMallows. I used a teaspoon along the sides to spread it open.
- Top with unsweetened coconut, cinnamon, and cardamom.
- Place the stuffed plantain onto a baking sheet or pan and wrap it up with foil, leaving an opening at the top.
- Roast for 13 minutes (or until the SmashMallows get a golden crust on them).
- Enjoy!
This sure was a great dessert for my daughter and me to share. Of course, she loved the ooey, gooey toasted marshmallow part the most. I ended up being the one to eat most of the plantain. That was perfectly fine with me. I am really happy that I finally gave the “ugly banana” a whirl. I have seen those plantains around for ages and have always been so curious about them.
Tidbits of information on the plantain:
- 1 medium cooked plantain contains approximately 230 calories.
- 1 medium plantain has appx. 4.6 grams of fiber.
- Plantains are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium.
- Plantains come from several parts of the world: West & Central Africa, the Caribbean Islands, Central America, and coastal parts of South America.
- If you are following a paleo diet plantains are ok to eat. They are starchy but considered a good source of carbohydrates.
- When the plantain gets brown/black it is at its peak stage of ripeness. This is when it is the most sweet.
Tidbits of information on SmashMallows:
- They come in a wide variety of fun flavors: Cinnamon Churro, Cookie Dough, Mocha Chip, Root Beer Float, Strawberries and Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, Meyer Lemon Poppyseed, and Coconut Pineapple.
- SmashMallows source organic cane sugar to make their marshmallows.
- SmashMallows are ok to eat if you are on a gluten-free diet.
- They do not contain any GMO ingredient.
- They do not contain any corn syrup, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, or preservatives.
- There are 80 calories in 4 SmashMallows.
You can find the Cinnamon Churro SmashMallows on Amazon:
Or why not try a variety pack?!!
Have you ever tried a plantain? How do you like to serve yours? Leave me a comment and let me know. I would love to hear from you!
