Bananas Healthy After School Snacks

Bananas make a fun-tastic and versatile ingredient for after school snacks or even after meal deserts.

Some great banana recipe ideas for you to visualize are:

• HOT DAY COLD BANANA
  • Pop a few bananas into the fridge when your kids go to school and they can enjoy a simple, cool and refreshing healthy snack when they get home.
• CHOCOLATE HEADED BANANA
• Dip up to half the banana in hot chocolate and wrap in plastic wrap, then pop into the fridge or freezer (in a hot climate).
• When your kids come home from school, by the time they have changed out of their school uniform, even the frozen bananas will be ready to eat.
• BANANA KEBAB
  • Make a fruit kebab (shawama) with strawberries, blue berries, bananas, grapes etc. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge until kids come home.
• BANANA SUSHI
• Instead of adding fish or meat etc to make sushi, try using slices of Banana.
• PROBIOTIC BOOSTER
• Make a banana smoothie, add some berries and active live cultured yoghurt or even better yet,
• * add kefir and also add a 150 ml of cream
• * add 1 or 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar (never use white sugar)
• The probiotics will feed off the berries and bananas and your kids will be healthier
• BANANA PYLONS
• Cut the banana into pieces approx 6 - 8 cms long.
• Dip 1/3rd into cooking chocolate and then put on a plate covered in glad wrap and let the chocolate set
• Add strips of watermellon to the tops forming a bridge - pop into sealed air tight container and leave in fridge until kids come home



• BANANA PYLON 2
• Cut banana into 6 - 8 cm pieces
• Dip 1/3rd into cooking chocolate
• Sprinkle any variety of crushed nuts on the chocolate while it is still hot
• Cut 1 strawberry in half and use a toothpick to pin this to the top of the banana
• Keep in fridge if you can resist eating these yourself
• BANANA CREPE
• Make your crepe pancakes first
• Make the whipped cream
• Flat slice several bananas and cook one side so that it is glazed
• You can also caramelize the banana strips with brown sugar or honey if you wish
• Place the banana on the crepe pancake
• Distribute the whipped cream on top of the banana
• Add the following for personal taste: Strawberry jam, shredded coconut, strawberry sauce, chocolate or crushed nuts
• Wrap in plastic wrap and pop into fridge
• BANANA PADDLE POPS
• Cut the banana into pieces approx 2 cms wide
• Insert paddle pop stick into the side of the banana piece
• Dip into cooking chocolate
• Store in fridge



• PADDLE POP 2
• The above Paddle Pop suggestion can also be used as an Hors d'oeuvre (before meals)
• Cut the banana into 1cm cubes
• Insert toothpicks
• Dip in cooking chocolate
• Store in fridge until guests arrive
• Serve with side dish of crushed Macadamia nuts

One for the adults and kids

Caribbean Sautéed Rum Bananas

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 sliced plantain or regular banana
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rum (per banana)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Next

1. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat, and once melted add the sliced bananas.
2. Cook until bananas have started to brown and soften, then add brown sugar, rum, and vanilla and cook until bananas are coated in a brown syrup.
3. Serve hot or cold with ice cream or as a side dish at BBQ's.

* Note: alcohol evaporates at 78°C (172°F) but leaves the flavour.
** For adults, drizzle rum over the bananas after cooking for a bit more punch.
*** You can also substitute the rum for another "Liqueur" of your own choice.

So when your kids come home from school and they need a fast recharge meal without lots of mess, please consider bananas.

I hope that these have given you a few ideas how you can use bananas to brighten up your day.

As you can see, bananas are very versitile.