Plantains are similar to bananas but are more starchy than bananas and often eaten the same way as vegetables like yams or potatoes. Plantains are a wonderful source of carbohydrates. Personally I love them because they seem to provide me with the energy I would expect from eating carbohydrates but without the flucuation in my blood sugar and insulin levels. With plantains I do not experience the "high" and then "crash" and "carb coma" that most carbohydrates cause.
Another difference between plantains and bananas is that you can only eat the raw green plantains after they have been cooked. The green firm plantains are the best ones to use for baking chips! Once the plantains ripen, the starch converts to sugar making them more like the typical banana we see in the grocery store and more likely to cause a spike in blood sugar. Plantains are higher in calories than bananas but contain much more fiber.
Plantains are also much higher in powerful antioxidants Vitamin C and Vitamin A. As in bananas, they are particularly high in vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine). Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role in the treatment of neuritis, anemia, and to decrease homocystine (one of the factors that can cause coronary artery disease and stroke) levels in the body. Also plantains contain folates, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin.
They also contain minerals such as iron, magnesium, and phosphorous. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and is necessary for effective cardiac rhythm maintenance. Plantains have more potassium than bananas. 100 g fruit provides 499 mg of potassium (358 mg per 100 g for bananas). Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
By drinking 2L of water per day, and increasing my potassium and magnesium intake, I have drastically reduced my body's recovery time after a crossfit workout, and I have almost eliminated the cellulite on the back of my legs. I am no expert, but if I go a few days without the additional intake of the aforementioned, I can visibly see the cellulite reappearing. Its amazing! I am certainly not implying that I have found the cure for cellulite.......but it works for me!
When shopping in your local grocery store for plantains look for firm, deep green, fruits that feel heavy. At home, store them open at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Peeling plantains is not as easy as peeling bananas. My trick is to slice the the plantain horizontally into 3 sections. Then slide a knife vertically down each section slicing the outer skin of the plantain. Then using your fingers carefully peel back the outer skin from your incision. It is much easier to work with 3 smaller sections rather than one large plantain.
Ingredients:
2 firm green plantains
1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions:
- Using a sharp knife cut each plantain horizontally into 3 smaller length sections
- Then make an incision lengthwise slicing through the skin of each section
- Using your fingers peel back and remove the skin from each section
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Using a mandolin or knife slice each section of plantain into slices about the thickness of a loonie (dollar coin here in Canada haha)
- The trick is to try and get each slice the same thickness for even cooking
- Mix together the coconut sugar, coconut oil and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl
- Add the plantain slices to the bowl and toss well to coat evenly with the sugar, oil and cinnamon
- spread the plantain chip out on a non-stick or greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and crispy.
- I can't give you a specific cooking time because it honestly varies each time I make them. These are sensitive and it depends on the consistency of the plantain itself and your oven temperature. I always flip them about every 6 minutes of cooking time. If I end up with some slices that are thinner than the rest that are cooking faster and getting brown and crispy, I remove those. So checking on them regularly allows me to do this.
- They will turn a darker brown colour as they cook because of the sugar and cinnamon but you still need to ensure that each slice bakes to a cripy golden brown.
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If you dont design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone elses plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.
- Jim Rohn