Baked Bananas with Carob and Toasted Coconut

Warm banana, melting carob, and toasted coconut, a small and honest dessert from 3 ingredients. Carob stands in for chocolate here, naturally sweet and caffeine-free, so the whole thing comes together with nothing off the plate.

Bananas bring potassium and a resistant-starch fiber that feeds a healthier gut community, along with their own gentle sweetness, so no sugar is added. The carob adds fiber and a mellow, cocoa-like flavor, and the coconut brings a little good fat and crunch. Keep it an occasional pleasure and let the fruit carry the sweetness.

Bake until the banana is soft and the coconut turns gold. Eat it warm, slowly, and let it be enough.

Ingredients

• 2 bananas, halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons carob chips (in place of chocolate chips)
• 2 tablespoons coconut flakes
• slivered almonds omitted (nuts excluded on Core)

Method

• Heat the oven to 400 F.
• Lay the banana halves cut side up, side by side, in a baking dish. A sheet of foil folded up at the edges keeps the toppings from sliding off.
• Scatter the carob chips and coconut flakes over the bananas.
• Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, until the coconut toasts lightly and the bananas soften. Serve warm.

The same topping works over sliced apples, strawberries, cherries, or a simple fruit salad.

Air fryer variation

Set the air fryer to about 350 to 375 F and cook the topped banana halves for roughly 4 to 6 minutes, until the coconut is golden and the fruit is soft. These times are a sensible starting range and are flagged untested in this kit, so check early the first time.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*

*Lower-sugar note: the sugar here is the bananas, not added sweetener. For a lighter serving, use a smaller portion, or blend in a splash of water or coconut milk to stretch the batch so each serving carries less.*