When Zach and Yale were little I made them all kinds of fun foods to eat. It was not that they were picky eaters, they were the opposite but I just loved making everyday food fun so they dined on egg boats, egg in a hole, pancakes with happy faces, cookie cutter sandwiches and frozen banana treats. But now that they are older and their tastes have changed from sprinkles to hemp and chia (seeds). I think that Zach and Yale will approve. You are never to old for a chocolate treat.
Nutty Chocolate Espresso Frozen Bananas
This recipe serves 8
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces of good quality dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, (optional)
- dash of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 bananas
- 8 wooden craft stick, I bought mine at the Dollar Store
- 3/4 cup chopped nuts, (I like to use pecans or walnuts)
- 2 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons coconut flakes
- dried fruit, chopped
Directions:
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Cut bananas in half and insert popsicle sticks, put the bananas on the lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Melt chocolate in a double boiler over low heat, add salt, vanilla and espresso powder and stir well.
- Place chopped nuts, hemp, chia seeds, dried fruit and coconut in a shallow dish.
- Dip the partially frozen bananas in the melted chocolate and then roll them in the crushed nut mixture.
- Place on the parchment lined baking sheet and place back in the freezer for at least 1 hour or until frozen.
- When frozen wrap in wax paper until ready to eat.
Have fun with these frozen bananas, you can use whatever nuts or dried fruit you like. I have tried them with chopped dried cherries, apricots, sunflower seeds and oatmeal flakes. For a really decadent treat dip the top of the bananas in peanut or almond butter before dipping in chocolate. I like to take them out of the freezer for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Here is my inspiration from Rachael Ray.