Going Bananas…

July 12, 2015

I recently came upon a great snack/dessert for kids (and husbands!) that I thought might interest you.  It’s cheap, quick, good….and…gluten-free!  There are kits that you can purchase in the produce section of many grocery stores to make these snacks, but I tend to try to replicate store-bought or restaurant foods in my kitchen and often come up with cheaper and/or better tasting renditions.

I’m talking about frozen chocolate-covered banana pops.  Charming prefers to eat bananas when they are still in a fairly un-ripe stage.  However, during the summer months the bananas seem to ripen before he can eat them so when I see the bananas getting past the stage when he will eat them, I quickly cut the bananas into four chunks per banana and insert sturdy toothpicks.  I then stir up some chocolate, cover the banana chunks with the chocolate, place them in a microwave/freezer-safe dish and pop them into the freezer for a few hours.  They come out like little frozen popsicles that are “sort of” good for you. 

Give these a try some time.  Unless you have family members who are die hard banana haters, I think you’ll find that this recipe is a keeper!

Frozen Chocolate-Covered Banana Pops

2 Ripe Bananas (cut each banana into four fairly equal sections)

8 Sturdy Toothpicks (be sure they don’t have splinters)

¾ Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Hershey’s is gluten-free)

¼ Cup Premier White Chocolate Chips (again, Hershey’s is gluten-free)

Insert one toothpick into each section of banana and place on a plate.

In a small, flat, micro-wave safe baking dish, melt both kinds of chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Remove dish from microwave and stir well.  (If all chocolate chips are not melted, return to microwave and heat for 15 seconds more.  If chocolate becomes grainy, add a tablespoon of milk and stir.)

Gently pick up each section of banana by the toothpick and spoon melted chocolate over entire banana section.  Place on a freezer-safe dish.  Repeat with remaining banana sections. 

Freeze at least several hours or overnight.  Serve frozen and accept compliments gracefully!

Two bananas were cut into four sections each, making eight
banana pops.  Chocolate chips were microwaved for thirty
seconds.

Stir chocolate chips to combine.  Then use the spoon to cover
each section of banana completely.

Work quickly to cover each section with chocolate.  If the
chocolate becomes grainy or starts to harden up, simply add
a tablespoon of milk (and microwave for another 15 seconds,
if necessary).  Pop the finished pops in the freezer for a few
hours or overnight and they're ready to serve.