January's
Improv Challenge ingredients were bananas and nutmeg. I knew I wanted to do something simple and fairly straightforward -- something that would let the banana and nutmeg shine. It also needed to be reasonably healthy, because 2013 is my own personal Year for Better Health. And it needed to be quick, because I'm just getting lazier and lazier as the winter progresses.
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| I want to eat this every morning! |
Ended up making a Bananas Foster-esque broiled banana something with banana, nutmeg, maple syrup, walnuts, and cottage cheese. I used baby bananas instead of "regular" bananas, because I saw them in the shop and they were simply so
unbelievably adorabs that I couldn't pass them by. Baby bananas are smaller than the common yellow Cavendish banana you find at every grocery store and actually taste a bit sweeter and more complex. Like the "regular" bananas, baby bananas can be eaten raw or cooked.
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| Behold, Bananas and Mini Bananas! |
Broiled Banana Cottage Cheese Plate
Serves 1.
Ingredients
½ tsp ground nutmeg plus more for garnish
2 tsp maple syrup (or honey!)
1 baby banana
1 serving 2% cottage cheese
1 Tbsp crushed toasted walnuts
Directions
Preheat broiler.
Slice banana in half lengthwise. Place halves, flat side up, on greased baking sheet. Brush halves with maple syrup and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Broil bananas for 3-5 minutes or until beautifully browned. Remove from oven.
Place cottage cheese in center of a dessert plate and flank with broiled bananas. Scatter crushed walnuts over cottage cheese and bananas. Drizzle with remaining syrup and sprinkle with more nutmeg.
I really liked how this recipe turned out -- so many great texture and flavor combinations. The warmth of the bananas and the cool of the cottage cheese. The sweetness of the bananas and the salty creaminess of the cottage cheese. The rich maple syrup and the sprightly nutmeg. The smoothness of the bananas and cottage cheese with the crunch of the walnuts. Yum! Look forward to making it again.
Simple is sometimes the best recipe. I like the novelty of the cottage cheese with the bananas.
ReplyDeletePlease don't forget to link back to the Improv Challenge in your post.
I don't even like bananas and I find the baby ones hard to resist as well!! Great choice for the challenge!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great recipe! Perfect for breakfast, lunch or a snack!
ReplyDeleteNow I want to find some baby bananas :) What a yummy, healthy dish!
ReplyDeleteI love this! This sounds like such a healthy way to have a little sweetness. I love cottage cheese anyway but I do tend to eat it with a bit of fruit at times. Can't say I've ever eaten it with broiled bananas and this makes me want to for sure!
ReplyDeleteHA!! Ok, I just have to leave a second comment here because as I was clicking "publish" I saw your comment etiquette blurb over the form here and it actually gave me such a chuckle! I love it!! And I'm with you, I want to connect to my readers and commenters. I can't stand people who leave a one liner with no thought behind it, like they're checking me off the list. Oh and then they put a link to their post that they'd like me to come see which really, if you're leaving me a heartfelt comment you don't need to tell me to come to your blog ... I'll be there since you took the time to leave me a comment in the first place. Phew! Ok, now that I got that off my chest ;) Sorry, I babble. It's what I do. Back to my original point. I love that you wrote that there and I don't want to make you sad so that you have to spend the rest of the day looking at lolcats and eating cheese. Sad, but that gave me a chuckle too ;) Ok, now I'm done.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of cottage cheese, but your bananas look delicious! I'm your newest follower via GFC. Come visit me over at My Sesame Seed Buns sometime!
ReplyDeleteYou could probably try a scoop of ricotta cheese or rice pudding or ice cream!
DeleteThose baby bananas are adorable. I, like Kira, am not a fan of cottage cheese but let me tell you - this is one way I would eat it!
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing at your comment blurb too, because really, cheese and lolcats is totally the way to go when someone makes you sad.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even know baby bananas existed! I think I need to do some hunting the next time I'm at Wegman's since if anywhere has them, its there! I don't like cottage cheese, but this is something right up my husbands alley. Maybe I'll think about being nice to him one weekend and serve it for him for breakfast.
When I picked up my baby bananas, the market also had red bananas (big and little) and now that I've tried the yellow babies and found them delicious, I really feel I need to go sample to reds :)
DeleteAnd, yes, I find cheese and lolcats cures many ills.
I love baby bananas but my daughter for some reason doesn't so I never buy them but they are so cute. Your recipe is very similar to what I made...but yours is a bit healthier and has the cottage cheese. Going to give it a try, working on being a bit healthier here too.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds amazing and so easy. I think I will switch to pecans, and maybe add in some raisins. This would be so easy to throw together before work! Thank you so much for the idea.
ReplyDeleteI made banana daquiri muffins, if you want to check them out.
This looks so good! I am always looking for ways to use up cottage cheese, and I am definitely going to try this next time I have a tub in my fridge.
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