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Called akwadu in Ghana, baked bananas flavored with orange juice, coconut, peanuts and cinnamon are a sweet, economical and nourishing finale for a spicy meal. And, they're a simple way to make fruit part of an everyday supper or a special dinner. This same recipe, with bananas cut both lengthwise and crosswise, makes a great topping for waffles or French toast. (Fun Food Fact: Peanuts are called "groundnuts" in West Africa.)
Plentiful in tropical and subtropical regions of the world — and easily available throughout the United States — bananas are kitchen staples. Being versatile, bananas make delicious breakfast smoothies and parfaits, banana bread and creamy puddings... and they're the perfect whole fruit for pack-and-go lunches and snacks. Great reasons to keep bananas on hand!
Ingredients
4 medium ripe bananas, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons soft margarine, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ shredded coconut
½ cup low-fat lemon Greek yogurt*
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, for garnish
Directions
Before you begin: Wash your hands.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Arrange bananas side-by-side in a 9-by-9-inch baking dish.
- Combine orange juice, lemon juice and margarine in a small bowl. Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Blend well.
- Drizzle orange juice mixture over bananas, then baste to coat bananas. Sprinkle with coconut.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and bananas are softened but keep their shape.
- Serve warm. Spoon sauce over bananas. Top with yogurt and garnish with peanuts.
Cooking Note
- Instead of lemon Greek yogurt, serve with ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Nutrition Information
Serves 4
Calories: 260; Calories from fat: 90; Total fat: 10g; Saturated fat: 3g; Trans fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Sodium 100mg; Total carbohydrate: 43g; Dietary fiber: 4g; Sugars: 26g; Protein: 4g
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