Chili Lime Plantains

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I recently tried my hand at making tostones. Tostones are a popular side dish in many Latin American countries, coming from the Spanish word tostar which literally means "to toast". You make them by frying unripened sliced plantains, draining excess oil, flattening the plantains and then frying them again. Not the healthiest of snacks but damn if they weren't delicious! While these baked plantains are in no way a substitute for crispy and fried, they are a healthier alternative (and in my opinion, more flavorful).

I used my mandoline to slice the plantains uniformly thin. I love this kitchen tool but a word of caution - if you aren't careful you may be slicing more than just the plantain! Be extra careful as you slice the plantain and when you are near the blade, use the hand guard to finish. If you don't have a mandoline, not to worry! You can simply slice the plantains thinly with a knife. 

Throw the sliced plantains into a large mixing bowl and combine with lime juice, melted coconut oil, chili powder, garlic and salt. Give them a quick toss and lay out evenly on a baking sheet. 

Into the oven they go for 40 min, flipping halfway through. These are best when eaten straight from the oven - serve as a side dish or eat them as a snack all on their own!

Chili Lime Baked Plantains

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 slightly ripened plantains (not green, but not completely brown)
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic granules
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
2. Thinly slice plantains, either with a mandoline or with a knife. (USE CAUTION with mandoline!)
3. Toss with lime juice, coconut oil, chili powder, garlic and salt. 
4. Evenly lay out the plantains on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 
5. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. Enjoy!

Nutritional info (1 serving = 1/4 of recipe, approximately 1/4 cup)

136 Calories - 1 g Protein, 24 g Carbs, 4 g Fat

Plantain Protein Waffles with Mixed Berry Compote

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Waffles were made for lazy weekend mornings. Just because it's the weekend, however, doesn't mean your nutrition can go out the window! Traditional waffles are high in fat, heavy on the carbs and very low in protein. While my waffles aren't the real deal, they are a great alternative for a weekend treat! These waffles are dairy-free, grain-free and gluten-free as they contain NO flour! 

Not to be confused with a banana, plantains are a much starchier relative. While they may look sweet,they are nearly inedible unless cooked. Health benefits of plantains include:

• High in fiber! 
• More vitamin-A and vitamin-C than bananas
• More potassium than bananas (37% more)

Plantains range from unripe (green) to ripe (yellow) to very ripe (black). At their ripest they are very sweet and at their unripest, very starchy. In this recipe, I chose to use a yellow plantain that is starting to spot but not yet entirely black. It is important to use the correct type of plantain for this recipe! 

In addition to the plantains, the other main ingredient of the waffles is protein powder. You can use any protein you want - I chose to use a plant-based vanilla vegan protein, but whey protein could work as well. 

You will need both a waffle maker and a blender for this recipe. 

Ninja Professional Blender (BL660)

I highly recommend everyone own a good, sturdy blender. After going through many cheap blenders, I finally made the investment in this and love it! 

Hamilton Beach 26009 Belgian Style Waffle Baker

I also love my waffle maker and believe this is a worthy investment. I recommend something similar to this model.

These waffles are not overly sweet, but the mixed berry compote provides all the sweetness you need. 

Whether you are fueling up for a workout or eating these in your pajamas, it's never a bad day when it starts off with light, healthy, protein-packed waffles! 

Plantain Protein Waffles with Mixed Berry Compote

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes (varies - cooked as directed by waffle maker instructions!)

Makes 6 waffles and approx. 1 cup mixed berry compote (2 servings)

Ingredients

For the compote

• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup halved blackberries
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp water
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar

For the waffles

• 2 scoops protein powder (60 g) - I used vanilla plant-based protein, any type will work
• 1 yellow, brown spotted plantain (130 g) - about 3/4 cup sliced
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1-2 tbsp cashew milk (or any non-dairy type) - should be added according to consistency of batter

Directions

Mixed Berry Compote

1. Combine all compote ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 10 min, stirring occasionally. 
2. Take off the stove and set aside once the fruit has cooked down and the liquid has reduced.

Plantain Protein Waffles

1. Turn on waffle iron to begin heating up. Note: If you don't have a waffle iron this could also be made as pancakes!
2. In a blender (a single serve cup attachment works really well for this) combine the protein powder, sliced plantains, applesauce, coconut oil, and egg whites. Blend to combine.
3. Next, add vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Depending on the consistency of the batter you may or may not need the cashew milk. The batter should be fairly thick, but not so thick it won't blend. Add milk accordingly.
4. Blend until all ingredients are well combined. 
5. Grease waffle iron and spoon about 1/4 cup of batter for each waffle onto hot iron. Cooking time per batch will vary based on your iron, but I cooked mine for roughly 5 min per batch. Continue until all batter is used, which should yield 6 waffles.
6. Stack up desired number of waffles, top with compote and dust with powdered sugar (not required, but what are waffles without it?)

Grab your coffee and dig in!

Waffle Nutritional info (Based on 3 waffles, will vary based on protein powder used)

306 Calories - 27 g Protein, 31.5 g Carbs, 9 g Fat

Mixed Berry Compote Nutritional info (Based on half of compote)

44 Calories - 1 g Protein, 17 g Carbs, 0 g Fat