Banana Bark
Serves 2
Prep 15 mins (+45 mins freezing time)
No cook
No Fuss Dessert / B-Vitamin Rich / Healthy Fats / Healthy Bones
These are so simple, and so delicious. Choose whichever nuts you like but I find walnuts and almonds the best combination for flavour, texture and nutritional value. The nuts used here contain many properties that will count towards healthy bones and skin (manganese, biotin, phosphorous, magnesium).
WALNUTS– Good source of B7, which is the vitamin that helps strengthen hair and reduce hair loss. The other B-complex vitamins in the walnut help you fight the ageing process on your skin and can help obtain a healthy glow. Walnuts have also been found to have anti-cancer benefits with the slowing of tumour growth in breast and prostate cancers. (SOURCE: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/19/7-walnuts-benefits.aspx )
ALMONDS – 23g of almonds will provide the following DRI; 49% biotin (a B vitamin essential for blood sugar balance and skin health), 40% vitamin E, 26% manganese, 25% copper, 17% vitamin B2, 15% phosphorous, and 15% magnesium. Almonds are said to reduce risk of heart attack, lower bad cholesterol and provide healthy fats. Almonds alkalize the body, and when your body is not alkaline enough there is risk of osteoporosis and poor immune function.
(SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20 )
BANANAS – 1 medium, fresh banana (118g), will provide the following DRI; 25% vitamin B6, 16% manganese, 13% vitamin C, 12% potassium, 10% biotin, 10% copper.
DARK CHOCOLATE– Nutritious. Yes it is, in moderation. You wouldn’t want to eat it in one sitting obviously but just to show you, based on 70-85% cocoa; 100g dark chocolate contains the following percentages of your recommended daily intake; 67% iron, 58% magnesium, 89% copper (great for immune system), 98% manganese, along with potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium. Dark chocolate could also improve blood flow / lower blood pressure, and even improve risk factors for heart disease. (SOURCE; http://authoritynutrition.com/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate/ )
Ingredients
2 bananas
225g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tbsp unsalted butter
100g partially blitzed nuts (I used almonds & walnuts in a small food processor, or you could just chop them)
Instructions
- Still in their skins, pierce each banana with a chopstick until it’s half way up the banana.
- Peel the banana skins off carefully.
- Break up the chocolate pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl with the butter, and sit on top of a saucepan with a little simmering water in it.
- Stir the chocolate regularly.
- Once melted you can either dip the bananas or pour the chocolate on top and use a spoon to coat thoroughly.
- Place your chopped / blitzed nuts on a plate and now carefully roll and cover the chocolate bananas in them.
- Transfer the bananas to a dish lined with greaseproof paper and place in the freezer to harden up for at least 45 minutes.
- Take out from the freezer and serve. If you have sensitive teeth you can remove from the freezer 15 minutes before munching.
