Have you ever seen those oversized weird-looking bananas at the supermarket? They’re plantains!
A staple in traditional island diets, they’re a bit of a wildcard here in North America. They’re worth learning how to cook, because they have some great nutritional benefits. One of my favourite Paleo/Ancestral practitioners, Chris Kresser, talks about plantains a lot on his podcast. It sounds like has them for breakfast almost every day with his 1-year-old daughter.
Plantains are high in resistant starch, which produces a fatty acid called butyrate in the lower digestive tract. This provides food for beneficial bacteria, improves insulin sensitivity, and may also have anti-cancer properties!
And man are they DELICIOUS. This has become one of our favourite veggie sides that we look forward to.
Easy Healthy Plantains in a Pan
This recipe has lots of good traditional fats as well as anti-inflammatory properties from the spices. Make sure you grab the plantains from the supermarket when they’re still green or just barely yellow, since they start to get more sugary as they ripen and won’t be as beneficial for resistant starch.
A simple, easy plantain recipe with healthy traditional fats and anti-inflammatory spices. Prepare yourself, it's delicious!!
Ingredients
- 1 green or barely ripe plantain
- 2 tbsp grass fed butter
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt
Instructions
- Heat your pan on medium heat with the 2 tbsp coconut oil and 2 tbsp grass fed butter. Ensure it never gets so hot that the oil starts to brown or smoke.
- Cut the ends off the plantain, and make a shallow cut along the length just through the skin. Then you'll be able to peel it.
- Slice the plantain into rounds about 1/4" thick, and place them in a single layer in the pan.
- Sprinkle all the spices and salt evenly over the plantain slices.
- Let them cook on one side for a few minutes, checking them until you see they're getting just slightly browned.
- Flip them one by one onto their other sides, then mush them gently with a fork, just to break the surface. THIS IS THE MAGIC. Now they will soak up all the delicious butter and coconut oil.
- Let them sit until they have soaked up most or all of the oil. You can leave them on low heat until you are ready to eat them.
- Have them right away (tastiest!) or they are also good as leftovers. Serving with some good quality sour cream is DIVINE.
If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! It’s definitely become a regular part of our rotation. YUM!
Do you have any other yummy plantain recipes to share?! Post in the comments below! :)
Have you had any benefits from consuming resistant starch, or any effect on your digestion? Share below!