DREENA’S DREAMY BAKED BANANAS

I love it when the simple things in life bring so much pleasure… or is it that I have learned to get pleasure out of the simple things? This recipe takes bananas to a whole new level of deliciousness. Simple to make. Hard to resist eating the whole batch. My husband and daughter ate some without me even offering it to them because it smelled so good.

This is only one of Dreena Burton’s many wonderful recipes: Dreamy Baked Bananas

I have patients with type 2 diabetes who avoid fruit, especially bananas. Is this the best thing to do? No. Watch the "Mastering Diabetes" videos to understand how eating fruit can help reverse type 2 diabetes. Dr. Khambatta is awesome:

Fruit For Diabetes — Is It Actually Safe to Eat?

Why Bananas Are Ideal Low Glycemic Fruits for Diabetes

DREENA’S DREAMY BAKED BANANAS

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons macadamia nut butter or raw cashew or raw almond butter (Used raw almond butter)

1/4 cup nondairy milk

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, optional

1/8 teaspoon sea salt (Used just a pinch)

3 ripe bananas but not overripe

2 Tablespoons raisins or chopped dates optional, can substitute or add chopped nuts

1 –2 Tablespoons coconut sugar for sprinkling, optional (I did not use)

Vegan ice cream for serving, optional (I did not use)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the nut butter, milk, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. It will be thick but should be smooth. (Mine was not thick.)

3. Transfer to a baking dish or glass pie plate.

4. Peel the bananas and slice in half lengthwise.

5. Place banana slices in the mixture, then gently flip so both sides are coated.

6. Sprinkle on the raisins or chopped dates, followed by the coconut sugar, if using.

7. Bake for 17–20 minutes. Serve hot or warm preferably. While still good cooled, this dessert is definitely best a little warm—ice cream prefers it that way!