Am I alone in always buying too many bananas and neglecting them in the fruit bowl? I think it is at the top of Mr GF’s ’10 reasons to divorce my wife’ list….. I am regularly shamed into hurried creation, to avoid the sarcastic ‘see you over-stocked on bananas again’ comments. If this sounds familiar and the guilt is rising as you read, my Coco-Banana Freeze Bites recipe may just be your rescue (and could save your relationship!).
Whether you are a regular offender or not, it’s always a good thing to have a few ideas for using ‘gone past attractive’ bananas up your sleeve, as research would suggest that they are an over-regular occurrence in most homes. Apparently (according to a government report quoted in the Independent in 2008) Britons throw away 1.6 million bananas every day. That is astounding and frankly outrageous. We can definitely do better than that.
In the past, I have tried to freeze brown bananas to use another time, but I can be pretty useless in remembering they are there and before long, I have a freezer full of frozen over-ripe bananas…. (in addition to a fruit bowl which requires attention).
Miss GF however, does have a bit if a liking for frozen food….. as a small child, she ate bucket loads of frozen peas and sweetcorn and would get quite upset at the suggestion they might be heated before they went on her plate….. So I got to thinking, what if I lengthen the life of those sorry soft bananas just a little longer, by creating a healthy frozen treat with them?
Perhaps I could mash them and combine them with a load of other good stuff? They could be stored in the freezer ready to eat without any further preparation. Genius!
And so, my Coco-Banana Freeze Bites were born. No doubt they have already been created somewhere else by someone much cleverer than me, but I didn’t bother checking. I didn’t want to take away my moment of inspirational glory (in my head anyway).
These little balls of sweet, fruity frozen deliciousness are really healthy (especially if you use carob instead of chocolate chips, which I admit I didn’t….). They are also completely raw…. No cooking involved whatsoever…. You just mash up the bananas, throw the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and stir it all together. If there are any ingredients you don’t fancy or don’t have, just substitute with something you do. Roll the dough into balls and stick them in the freezer…. done!
What do they taste like? Sort of soft, cold, naturally sweetened breakfast bars…… lots of coconut flavour and texture, mingling with soft banana, shot through with creamy oatiness, interspersed with crunchy chocolaty bitey bits set against a nutty background with a hint of cinnamon. As the warmth of your mouth envelopes each bite, it experiences cold anticipation of what is to come….. The balls quickly soften and melt into the array of flavours contained within. Unexpected and very very tasty.
My daughter and I eat Coco-Banana Freeze Bites for breakfast, not only because they are delicious and full of good energy-giving ingredients to get the day off to a fantastic start, but because they are incredibly quick if you need to grab and run (which in our house is pretty much every morning). Perfect for growing children, they are easily adaptable to your own larder contents and the novelty value with little ones (‘frozen breakfast mummy?’) is way too good to miss……..
Don’t love the thought of frozen breakfast? Coco-Banana Freeze Bites are also perfect as instant after-school sustenance when energy levels are sagging. In updating this post three and a half years on, I can honestly say that they are one of the most requested recipes our house….. Which is a good thing! I love that there is a healthy ‘no thought required’ snack in the freezer ready after school which might just avoid reaching for crisps and sweets.
I am sharing my updated post for these amazing Coco-Banana Freeze Bites with :
Cook Once Eat Twice with Searching For Spice
Free From Fridays with Le Coin De Mel and Free From Farmhouse
Got To Be Gluten Free (#G2BGF) with Myself and Glutarama
Brilliant Blog Posts with Honest Mum
Cook Blog Share with Easy Peasy Foodie
Coco-Banana Freeze Bites
Ingredients
25g crushed macademia nuts (optional)
Method
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas.
- Add all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly with a wooden/silicone spoon until the mixture has a ‘wet’ appearance.
- Take spoonfuls of the dough and roll into balls using your hands.
- Place on a baking tray and cover with cling film and freeze.
- Once frozen, store in an airtight container in the freezer.
There is so much goodness in those bite size morsels of deliciousness! I always have couple overripe bananas on the go and also two constantly hungry little boys who will soon eat us out of house and home lol so these will be perfect snack to try! 🙂 x
Thanks Jo. It's amazing what you can pack into a mouthful! Kids love these…. well the ones they have been tested on do. There is something about the novelty of having a non-ice cream snack from the freezer too! x
Your amazing Coco-Banana Freeze Bites would be perfect after school! Just for the sake of making them like lollies, I think I'd stick a lolly stick in them, hahaha! I'm the same when it comes to bananas and I end up freezing loads for ice cream or smoothies. x
Thanks Mel. I hadn't thought of sticking a lolly stick in them….. Interesting thought! x
These sound like a great idea. I'm terrible for just grabbing toast in the morning!
We love them Emma. And best of all….. Once they are in the freezer, there's no further preparation needed! x
Soooo many lovely ingredients, they all make my mouth water, the perfect combination to cure my afternoon lulls in energy, sometimes I feel like dropping on the spot around 3pm but this sort of snack keeps me on track #G2BGF
Thanks Rebecca. They are a perfect bite to keep your energy levels up! x
These sound brilliant! I've just updated an old energy balls post from a few years ago too and it's made me think I want to make more 'ball food'. I can see just how great these would be as an after school snack and I'm sure I'd be snacking on them throughout the day too! Thanks for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x
You're welcome Corina and thanks. It was one of those recipes that just needed to be re-shared….. They are so good to have 'there' in the freezer where they don't go off and are always available! x
PS I LOVE the new banner!
Thanks Vicki….. I have decided that I like the logo…. It's mine and it says what I want it to! x
Love things like this! I am forever bunging things in a blender and making them into balls…such a lovely healthy way to eat yummy wholesome foods. And I love the idea of freezing them! Perfect for the summer!
They are rather delicious….. and these one's don't even need a blender….. Just give the kids the ingredients and a bowl and tell them to make their own snacks!!!! The frozen novelty is a wheeze too….. !
Love the look of these. We always end up with a good few over-ripe bananas and my daughters are crazy about any treats of the frozen variety so I think these would go down a storm in our house. A lovely entry for this month's Family Foodies #FabFastFood challenge. Thanks for taking part!
Thanks Vanesther. I thoroughly recommend them. We are definitely hooked and happy that they are so much healthier than the sugar-filled stuff usually craved! Always a fun challenge…. Thanks for hosting!
Wonderful recipe idea! I always freeze over-ripe bananas and I actually have some stuffed in the freezer right now – so I could totally make these 😀 (although I would have to cook the banana first as, for some reason, raw bananas give me stomach cramps) I love the ingredients you've used!
Definitely try them Aimee. Could bake the bananas first I reckon in their skins, before mushing them into the rest of the ingredients? If you do try, let me know how you get on. The flavours, textures and convenience of such a healthy snack (which doesn't have a 'sell-by') is absolutely worth it!
These sound just my kind fo thing. Lots of textures and flavours and healthy too. Must give these a go. An original idea to you, is still an original idea. I've got some bananas stashed in the freezer, so must give these a go
Thanks Katie…….. you're right. I had the idea and that's good! And given that the idea ended up with these is not so bad…….. (except that I can't stop eating them!)
Wow, they are really full of good things, well done. I wish there would be some of them in my freezer right now, but there is no banana anywhere nearby at the moment.
Thanks Chris. I might even have to encourage the bananas to over-ripen for this one!!! They are so easy to munch (every time we pass the freezer…….)