Friday, August 30, 2013

Afterschool Treat Real Food Recipe


School is back in session for just about everyone's children. They're eating well at school because you're packing their lunch with nutritious foods but yet at the end of their day - they're so hungry!  You think of offering them a treat to tie them over until their next meal. 

Enjoy chocolate and coconut covered banana bites!!

Ingredients:
2 squares 72% Organic dark chocolate 
1/2 - 1 T Coconut Oil (my favorite brands are Nutiva and Vitacost) 
1 T Natural Peanut Butter
Shredded coconut (I chose sweetened)
2 lg. Bananas

Preparation:

1. Place bananas in the freezer with peel on while preparing the rest of the ingredients (or for at least 10 minutes). You can always peel them and cut them into 1 inch chunks first. I don't like the banana to be completely frozen when I'm ready to eat them so that's why I suggest just a quick freeze.

2. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl with 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil. Heat starting at 20 seconds. Mix. The texture should be loose. Add more coconut oil as necessary and heat again adding 10 seconds at a time. The addition of the coconut oil helps the chocolate adhere to the bananas. 

3. Add the tablespoon of peanut butter to the melted chocolate and mix.

4. Take the bananas out of the freezer, peel and slice them into 1 inch chunks (if you haven't done so already). Drop the bananas into the peanut butter-chocolate and coat all the sides as evenly as possible. 

5. Line a pan with parchment paper and place the coated bananas on there. Sprinkle the bananas with shredded coconut. Place and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. You also have the option of freezing them. If you live in a cooler climate (or it's winter) you may leave them out in an airtight container until ready to eat. 

You can  modify the ingredients to your liking. Perhaps substitute the peanut butter for almond butter or use unsweetened coconut. Use your imagination! This is just a baseline to work from. Something to inspire you. 

You can make this treat ahead of time so that they'll be ready when the children arrive home from school or you can make the chocolate coconut banana bites together with your children as young as 3. Use your discretion. The children can cut the bananas safely with a butter knife and coat the bananas in chocolate as well as sprinkling the coconut over the bites.

If you make some, please leave a comment on how you liked them. Were they easy to make? Did you change the ingredients to suit your family?


Choose, eat, and live well! =)

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