Plantain Vs. Banana

I've always wanted to try plantains.  They look so sad sitting there in the market with very little interest.  What the heck can you do with a plantain?  The banana tastes better and plantains are bland - almost bitter.  Banana is softer and sweeter.  A ripe banana is great for baking, smoothies, and freezing for later.  But the plantain?  Boring.

In true Carrie fashion: Challenge accepted.  The plantain was purchased and the research began.  Three days later the plantain remained on the counter.  It was starting to get a grayish hue to it.  Suck it up, Carrie, make something.  

There are plenty of recipes for fried plantains, but I'm avoiding loads of fry oil and butter.  I found this recipe for fried plantains.  The french fry shape made me think that I could bake the plantain.

I cut the plantain in half, then half again.  The peel is quite hefty, so get in there with your knife and cut the fry pieces, then get your finger between the plantain and the peel.  I was amazed how strong the plantain is.  

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place plantain on paper.  Drizzle olive oil over plantains.  I added quite a bit of cinnamon, perhaps 2 tablespoons, and a twist of Himalayan pink salt.  Toss.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, flip plantains, bake another 10 minutes or until they appear crispy and browned.

Once out of the oven, let sit for 8-10 minutes.

They tasted a little dry, but dipped in applesauce...amazeballs.  

What I found so great about the plantain, it is a hearty fruit that kept me feeling full for a good hour after eating it as a snack.  Little Man tried one and thought it was good enough to nod his head 'yes'.  That's the key word for,  "I'd eat this again".

Next time, I'm going to try the avocado dip in the above recipe with Greek yogurt.

  

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF PLANTAINS:

• Plantains are high in fiber content. This makes you feel full for longer period of time, reducing frequent cravings for food. Thereby, in the long run, it can help with weight loss.
• Plantains are extremely rich  Potassium and Magnesium.
• Plantains are rich in vitamins, specifically Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6.
• Even though plantains are rich in starch, they are comparatively very low on the glycemic index scale. Consumption of plantains helps diabetic patients.
• Plantain prevents gastrointestinal infectious diseases.
• Plantain chips (with less salt or no salt) have more nutrients than the fresh ones!
• Plantain takes longer to digest, keeps you full, which benefits diabetic patients and, also for weight loss.