Fried Plantains
Just look at 'em. That's right. Go ahead and stare. Is that a banana on your plate or are you just happy to see me?
If you said "yes" (about the banana part), you'd be right! It's a plantain, a fruit in the same botanical family as the banana. And, bananas are paleo friendly! PALEO TIP: try to not go bana..err..crazy on bananas or plantains...they are higher in carbs and can easily offset the 30-30-40 protein-fat-carb balance.
Sometimes, just when you think you'll spend the rest of your paleo life eating sweet potatoes (not a bad life), carrots, and all that other seemingly redundant stuff, God, and Kroger, put this natural wonder right on the shelf for ya. The only reason you probably pass them by is because you have no idea what to do with them.
I think most North Americans take plantains for granted; yet, they're very inexpensive, simple to make, and substitute well for that starch fetish you have. Just more case in point proof that we are idiots.
Fun Facts:
Plantains are lower in sugar than bananas, high in fiber (low glycemic load, which is good), and remain a great source for paleo-friendly carbohydrates.
Plantains are versatile. You can cook them when they are green (starchier like a potato), dark yellow (sweeter like a banana), or somewhere in between (starchy and sweet like a ponana). I just made that word up. Feeling pretty good about myself at the moment :-)
You can boil them, fry them, sautee them, bake them, whatever. But since I'm a paleo guy and can eat a higher healthy fat ratio, I'm going a'fryin' in my olive oil.
Here's How:
- Heat skillet over medium heat with enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Slice a plantain into 1/4 inch thick slices.
- Place each plantain slice into pan, let sear to a med caramel brown.
- With tongs, flip each plantain, repeat the caramlization
- Place each slice on a dry paper towel
- while still hot, take a heavy object with a solid bottom and smash the plantain down into a disc shape (I use a mortar and pestle)
- brush with fresh chopped garlic and a pinch of sea salt
Just look at 'em. That's right. Go ahead and stare. Is that a banana on your plate or are you just happy to see me?
If you said "yes" (about the banana part), you'd be right! It's a plantain, a fruit in the same botanical family as the banana. And, bananas are paleo friendly! PALEO TIP: try to not go bana..err..crazy on bananas or plantains...they are higher in carbs and can easily offset the 30-30-40 protein-fat-carb balance.
Sometimes, just when you think you'll spend the rest of your paleo life eating sweet potatoes (not a bad life), carrots, and all that other seemingly redundant stuff, God, and Kroger, put this natural wonder right on the shelf for ya. The only reason you probably pass them by is because you have no idea what to do with them.
I think most North Americans take plantains for granted; yet, they're very inexpensive, simple to make, and substitute well for that starch fetish you have. Just more case in point proof that we are idiots.
Fun Facts:
Plantains are lower in sugar than bananas, high in fiber (low glycemic load, which is good), and remain a great source for paleo-friendly carbohydrates.
Plantains are versatile. You can cook them when they are green (starchier like a potato), dark yellow (sweeter like a banana), or somewhere in between (starchy and sweet like a ponana). I just made that word up. Feeling pretty good about myself at the moment :-)
You can boil them, fry them, sautee them, bake them, whatever. But since I'm a paleo guy and can eat a higher healthy fat ratio, I'm going a'fryin' in my olive oil.
Here's How:
- Heat skillet over medium heat with enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Slice a plantain into 1/4 inch thick slices.
- Place each plantain slice into pan, let sear to a med caramel brown.
- With tongs, flip each plantain, repeat the caramlization
- Place each slice on a dry paper towel
- while still hot, take a heavy object with a solid bottom and smash the plantain down into a disc shape (I use a mortar and pestle)
- brush with fresh chopped garlic and a pinch of sea salt
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