Can we take a moment here to admire this absolutely stunning raw banana brownie parfait please? Oh, does it sound like I'm tooting my own horn? Well, I'm not! This delicious jar of rich, decadent, and healthy goodness is my creation of a recipe by the talented blogging pal and raw chef Heather Pace, which can originally be found in her new book Sweetly Raw Desserts (and is shared here with her permission).
A little while ago I was offered the opportunity to do a book review for Sweetly Raw Desserts. The truth is I always have so many things planned ahead for this blog that I'm absolutely swamped and so I've actually been turning down all book and product reviews. But once I had a look at this book I felt like I just couldn't pass up. It's a book dedicated to clean, vibrant, and delicious desserts -- you'll find recipes for chocolate (LOTS of chocolate), cookies (unbaked frosted sugar cookies, cookie bars, and more), cakes (raw mocha cake or a raspberry roll anyone?), ice cream (hello there strawberry chai ice cream sandwich!)... I can keep going, but you get the gist of it I'm sure ;).
All the recipes in the book are gluten, dairy, egg, and refined sugar-free and are suitable for raw, vegan, and gluten-free diets. Most are grain-free and paleo as well. So it just seemed like a perfect fit all around and I thought you might be interested in checking it out as well.
Now back to this raw banana brownie parfait -- I wouldn't recommend a book to you without checking out the recipes in it first. I had the darnest time trying to decide which recipe to make from this book for the blog because there are just so many delicious-sounding ones in there. I ended up going with this brownie parfait because, well, any dessert in a jar is always a favorite around here, and it just sounded simple and delicious. And it turned out delicious as it looks. I believe that this is the first time in my adult life I actually just followed a recipe without feeling the urge to change everything around. I wanted the dessert to stay true to Heather's style, and to be perfectly honest I wouldn't have changed a thing in retrospect -- this parfait is super easy to throw together and tastes absolutely amazing as it is!
Raw Banana Brownie Parfait
A vegan, gluten-free, and paleo raw chocolate and banana parfait from the book Sweetly Raw.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: Raw
Ingredients
For the Brownie:
- 1 cup walnuts
- ⅔ cup packed dates, pitted & chopped
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tbsp maca powder
- ½ tsp vanilla bean powder
- ½ tsp water
For the Pudding:
- 1½ cups mashed banana
- ⅔ cup cashews
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tsp vanilla bean powder
- 2 tbsp melted cacao butter
For Assembly:
- 2-3 ripe bananas, diced
Instructions
- To make the brownie: combine all ingredients in a food processor until crumbly. Processing any more will cause the brownie to become oily.
- To make the pudding: blend the banana, cashews, maple syrup, cacao powder, and vanilla in a blender until completely smooth. Add the cacao butter and blend again to incorporate. Chill the pudding in the fridge for at least 5 hours.
- To assemble: arrange some of the diced bananas in a glass. Spoon a layer of pudding on top and sprinkle some brownie mixture over it. Repeat the layers one or two more times. Serve immediately.
Notes
Ok, so I did make a few changes, but they were uber minor ;) Here are a couple of things I did differently and a few notes:
- I placed the pudding mixture into the freezer for 2 hours instead of in the fridge for 5 hours just to speed up the process a little.
- I topped my pudding with some cacao nibs because cacao nibs are awesome.
- The jar you see pictured actually contains more than one serving -- it holds half the recipe's ingredients and was split between 4 people (who happily devoured it all!). The number of servings is kind of arbitrary anyways for these types of recipes -- just divide the contents as you see fit or into however servings / jar sizes you want and enjoy!
- I kept one of my jars refrigerated overnight and it was equally as pretty and delicious the next morning (see last picture above).
Keywords: Raw Banana Brownie Parfait (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free)
BOOK GIVEAWAY {CLOSED!}
This giveaway is now closed -- congratulations to: Melania, Natalia, Joanne, Dana, and Susann. Expect your copies of Sweetly Raw Desserts in the mail shortly! Loved your comments and they inspired some interesting ideas for me in the kitchen :)
Thanks so much to everyone else for taking part as well -- you shared some really wonderful {and yummy} ideas and I loved them all. It was hard to narrow it down here. For anyone who did not win, follow @sweetlyraw on instagram {or just keep an eye out on that page if you're not an Instagram user} -- she posts updates about other blogs currently doing giveaways of more copies of this book, so maybe you can still get a copy ;)
A big thanks to Heather and her team for offering to share some book copies for this giveaway and for sharing this tasty parfait recipe! You can buy Sweetly Raw Desserts here {available as an ebook or paperback} and you can find more of Heather's gorgeous recipes over on her blog sweetlyraw.com!
I've got several paperback copies of this book to give away. If you know me by now, you'll know that I don't like generic random pick giveaways. I like hearing from you and getting to know you more instead + I always get random and fantastic recipe inspiration from my readers, which is a good thing for everyone involved ;)
So, if you're interested in getting a copy of Sweetly Raw Desserts, here's what you need to do:
1. Leave a comment below with an answer to one or both of the following questions:
What is the most bizarre yet surprisingly good flavor pairing you've ever tried?
What's the best banana dessert you've ever had?
2. I'd really appreciate it if you take a moment to follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Note: this part is NOT mandatory at all and will not affect your chances of getting a book in any way. In fact, if social media or emails are not your thing, I completely understand and I'd rather you didn't sign up. But if you like this blog and my recipes you can support both by following along and also of course by subscribing to my email newsletter {you can do that at the bottom of this blog}. It's easy to stay in touch this way with what's happening around here, plus you get the extras I share only with my subscribers.
P.S. If you feel like commenting, but don't want a copy of the book, just mention that in your comment. I'd still love to hear your answers :)
I will be picking the winners based on the comments that catch my attention the most {i.e. answers that get me inspired to get baking -- so anything that peaks my curiosity >>inspiration>>kitchen time!}. So please share as much or as little as your heart desires and I really look forward to hearing your responses!
GIVEAWAY RULES: Giveaway will close on Thursday, March 19, 2015, at 11:59PM EST. All answers must be entered via the comments section below prior to this closing date. Feel free to enter more than one suggestion and come back if you’ve got more ideas. An email will be sent out with an update on who gets the book copies, so be sure to enter your email address in the email field when entering your comment. Winner must respond within 48 hours to the email I will send them once the giveaway closes and provide a valid mailing address to claim their prize, otherwise the prize will go to the next lined up best suggestion. The giveaway is open worldwide. Good luck and look forward to what you’ve got to share!
Sarah Baumeister says
Such a good flavor combo. I love how thick it is, it makes it feel more filling.
★★★★★
Audrey says
So glad you enjoyed this, Sarah! Thanks for the lovely feedback :)
Gluten free girl says
Mayo? For real?? I also wanted to ask if this recipe can be made gluten free?
Audrey says
I know, the mayo comments really surprised me as well :D This recipe is already gluten-free, enjoy!
Anna T says
I used to love brownies and after experimenting with this I have fallen in love with this parfait.
It is absolutely mind-blowing and the banana adds a whole bunch of freshness to this. Thanks.
★★★★★
Audrey says
Really glad this recipe works for you, Anna. Thanks for the lovely feedback!
Zachary says
Made this a couple times already and loved it -- didn't have Maca powder but it still worked out great. Probably just a slight bit less healthy, but still pretty dang healthy 🙂
Had my mother try it and now she's addicted to making the pudding -- just the the pudding, and eating nearly an entire (small) mason jar filled with it for lunch. Oof!
Audrey says
That's awesome. Thanks so much for sharing, Zachary! I'm glad you and your mom are enjoying this recipe.
Hanah says
Hi, Audrey!
What do I do when I don't have maca powder or vanilla bean powder?
I wanted to see if someone else asked this question, but there were just too many posts... Sorry if it's a repeat question!
Audrey says
Hi Hanah, you can use pure vanilla extract for the vanilla (like 1-2 tsp). The ground vanilla brings a special flavor to raw desserts, but pure vanilla extract is a close substitute. Or you can scrape half a vanilla bean pod into the mixture instead. The maca you can omit -- it's basically just used to add nutrients to the parfait, but it's not essential. Enjoy :)
Kristen says
Audrey, this recipe sounds amazing!
Would you recommend any substitutions for cashews. Unfortunately I cannot eat them. :/
Can't wait to try it out!
Audrey says
Hey Kristen,
Can you have sunflower seeds? If so you can use sunflower seed butter (about 1/3 cup) in place of the cashews. If you have any on hand, you can also add a tbsp non-dairy yogurt -- I find it takes the sunflower-y flavor down a notch :) but not essential (just that cashews in comparison are a milder and sweeter). You can likewise switch the flavor up a bit and go for peanut butter or almond butter (also about 1/3 cup).
Enjoy! :)
Claudia says
Oh my Gosh! Where to start!! Your website looks AMAZING!!! Everything looks "to die for" I have to try them all!!!!! Thank you millions for sharing so generously! You are an amazing Lady!! xx
Audrey says
Hi Claudia -- thank you so much :) Enjoy the recipes!
Amy says
Look so delicious. Must try this recipe. Thanks
★★★★★
Audrey says
Thank you, Amy -- enjoy it!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
Audrey your photos are beautiful and I'm loving maca and vanilla bean powder that is mixed in this parfait!
Audrey says
Thanks Christina -- I use vanilla bean powder quite often, but I never would have thought to add in maca into a parfait. It turned out great though + adds a good boost of nutrition to the dessert.
Lydia Claire says
Banana pudding, oh yum. =)
Audrey says
Agreed -- banana pudding is definitely yummy!
Corrine says
I love adding frozen bananas to my smoothies!
Audrey says
Me too, Corrine -- they really make a wonderful smoothie!
Jarill says
The strangest food combination...wow, I eat some pretty weird stuff! But one of my favorite things...the one I get ribbed about most is mayonnaise on my baked beans...and of course a cold baked bean sandwich the next day,with mayo!
My favorite banana dessert...well since Chunky Monkey probably won't count...it's a wonderful banana trifle that wins my heart!
I'm glad that I stumbled on your site...I'll be spending some time here...thanks!
Audrey says
Thanks for sharing, Jarill. Banana trifle is a lovely dessert!
Max Arthur says
Wow. That looks sooo good!
Audrey says
Thanks Max, it is quite tasty!
Ana says
Blueberries and carob taste really good together! Banana teff muffins are very delicious.
Audrey says
I don't think I tried blueberries with carob yet, Ana. Sounds yummy - thanks for sharing! ♥
Raia says
Ooh, I can't wait to get some walnuts so I can try this out!
I know this doesn't fit at all with the whole 'raw' thing, but my my husband is always telling me how bizarre my burger toppings are. ;) My favorite combo is peanut butter, homemade mayo, swiss cheese, and banana. With no bun.
As for my favorite banana dessert, does anything baked count? I love banana breads, and using bananas as sweeteners in things like donuts, brownies, cookies, cakes, etc. :)
Audrey says
I stopped at pb and mayo -- what?!? I can't even imagine what that tastes like :) That is the funniest answer ever, Raia! :)
Raia says
Haha! I promise it's delicious. ;)
Audrey says
I'll take your word for it ;)
Well, the books are all gone, but at least those cookie cutters are on their way :)
Raia says
Sounds good to me. ;)
Natalia says
Mmm, looks so good! Would love to win that book!
My favourite-strange combination would be my hot turmeric-chocolate milk with tahini and dates!
Love bananas in ice cream, combined with some silken tofu: the best white ice cream ever!
★★★★★
Audrey says
A turmeric hot chocolate with tahini and dates -- that is soooo interesting! Will try it out soon. You got me curious :)
Thanks for sharing, Natalia. Your book is well on its way and I hope you find lots more baking inspiration from it to fuel your kitchen adventures!
Susann says
Hi Audrey,
what a perfect post! The parfait looked amazing, the questions were defiant, the giveaway - who could resist?! Not me anyway. So here's my answers:
1) The most bizarre flavour pairing, no doubt, was porcini mushrooms inside crème brûlée, served in a top-notch restaurant I used to work for. I'm yet to find the courage to apply this outrageous twist to a homemade vegan/paleo/GF version. Whoever loves to wow their guests and play a little guessing game after all the toppings have crackled, well... This could be your time to shine.
2) For the best banana treat, I'd have to go with a grilled fruit, coated with whiskey-caramel sauce, accompanied by vanilla ice cream. What I love about it (apart from the taste, and looks, especially if the banana is grilled inside its peel) is that both the sauce and the ice cream can be prepared beforehand, which leaves you with little to do once the craving actually arrives... Not to mention the combo is so perfect for both summer and winter.
Though fancy as they might sound, I've actually found both desserts to be easy in their vegan/paleo/GF alternatives. All thanks to the amazing bloggers out (t)here, don't know what I would do without. ^_^
★★★★★
Audrey says
Hi Susann,
Ok, hands down, your reply takes the cake {or the cookbook :)} when it comes to the weirdest flavor pairing -- mushrooms in a crème brûlée? I can't even imagine what that would taste like. Sounds so interesting!
Your second dessert sounds a lot like banana foster -- so yummy!
I hope you enjoy your copy of this book and finds lots of kitchen inspiration in it ♥
Luana says
Hi Audrey! Thank you for all you do! You are inspirational! I just came off a 60 day juice fast and I intend to eat a lot more raw food. I would love a copy of the book! What a generous offer! My favorite banana dessert is a chocolate mousse with a banana, avocado, powdered cacao and maple syrup! It is smooth and heavenly!
Audrey says
That mousse combo is delish, Luana -- a recurring theme in a lot of the responses here :)
All the best with adding more raw foods into your diet -- including more live food is always wonderful!
Paige says
As a child, mum always packed celery sticks spread witj peanut butter topped with sultanas in my lunchbox. It sounds crazy, but it is so good. I used to get picked on a lot for it but I never let that stop me from eating it, as I still eat it to this day.. with natural peanut butter of course. Yummo!
Audrey says
Is it wrong that I love that as an adult, Paige? :) Thanks for sharing!
Natalie says
hey!
Wow you are amazing!
Okay so my weird but delicious food combo is homemade hommus combined with dates! It's sooo good, you have to try it! Who would have thought something so sweet would pair so well with something so savory?!
And my favorite banana dessert is chopped banana caramelized in the oven, then frozen, it's deliciousssssss
I would love the opportunity of owning your book! :)
Nat xx
Audrey says
Hommus and dates? Wow. Sounds delish! I love tahini and dates, so I can imagine this would taste really good! Thanks for sharing.
Debby says
I love bananas in smoothies. I am still working on paring flavors and have not tried anything too crazy yet, but I am getting there. :)
Audrey says
Bananas in a smoothie are wonderful, Debby! I actually have to make an effort and NOT include them in every single one :)
Melania Holiat says
what is the most bizarre yet surprisingly good flavor pairing you’ve ever tried?
The most bizarre flavour combination that I ’ve tried was chocolate and sage. I made dark chocolate pasta and a brown butter sage sauce to accompany it. I was unsure if I would like it or not but it was very delicious. There was something about the bitterness of the chocolate notes with the earthiness of the sage that complimented each other. The sage mellowed out the chocolate and it paired beautifully.
What’s the best banana dessert you’ve ever had?
Hands down it was a peanut butter banana cake with chocolate frosting. The banana and peanut butter cake was moist and delicious and the chocolate icing was an added bonus. Here is the recipe for those that may want to give it a try. Enjoy !
1/2 c. coconut oil
1 c. creamy peanut butter
2 bananas
2/3 c. evaporated cane juiceevaporated cane juice
1 T. molasses
1 t. vanilla extract (I like to make my own)
1 c. sorghum flour
1/2 c. brown rice flour
1/2 c. arrowroot powder
1/2 t. xanthan gum
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 c. milk of choice (I like to use my homemade coconut or rice milk)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 9-inch cake pans.
In large bowl, beat coconut oil, peanut butter, and bananas until fluffy. Add in evaporated cane juice, molasses, and vanilla, mixing until blended.
In separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over peanut butter mixture and combine. Add milk and mix until smooth.
Pour and smooth into prepared pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely before frosting and stacking.
Audrey says
Thanks so much for sharing, Melania. Chocolate and sage is one of the most interesting things I've heard in a while. Sounds amazing -- will definitely give it a try. ♥ And thank you for the banana cake recipe!
Your book copy is on its way by the way -- hope it arrives soon and keeps you busy in the kitchen :) Enjoy it!
LARK says
I could -- and do, in the Summer -- eat banana nice cream every day. I'd like to make a vegan bananas foster. Otherwise, I'll bet my favorite is yet to be discovered!
★★★★
Audrey says
Thanks for sharing -- I can and do eat banana ice cream pretty much every day, rain, snow, or shine -- often even right by the fireplace :) Banana foster sounds lovely -- it's definitely on my baking hit list.
Megan says
1) raw banana peanutbutter ice cream! Really anything with banana is delicious in my book.
2) avocado, banana chocolate pudding!
Would love to be entered in giveaway.
Audrey says
Thanks for sharing, Megan. Seems like bananas, avocado, and chocolate are a favorite for many here :)
Gina says
This is not anything sweet, but I just made this the other day...it's called Chicken Marbella. It had garlic, honey, prunes, and green olives in it! Definitely a weird combo, but surprisingly good! Baking-wise, I just found a sweet potato brownie recipe that used almond butter and it also had cinnamon in it...definitely things I'd never think to put together. ;) Probably my favorite banana dessert was a Triple Layer Banana dessert I used to make that had a crust made out of vanilla wafers, pecans, and butter...it involved using vanilla pudding and whipped topping, I think...lots of things I don't use anymore! :) But the flavor all together was out of this world! Could definitely make it healthier!
Audrey says
That banana pudding dessert sounds amazing. I can imagine it tasted pretty good -- bananas and pecans go so well together! Thanks for sharing, Gina.
Joanne (JoMakesStuff) says
Hi Audrey,
I've been following Heather Pace on social media for a while now and have been longing for a copy of her book.
1) One unusual flavour pairing that I enjoy in the summer as I find it refreshing as well as sweet, salty, and sour is cutting up sweet mango into spears, squeezing lime juice onto it, and sprinkling them with some spicy chile salt. So good!!
2) The best banana dessert I've ever had would have to be fresh bananas dipped in melted dark chocolate and rolled in chopped roasted salted peanuts. It's a bit messy but so worth it!
Audrey says
That mango treat got my attention, Joanne. That sounds amazing! Where do you get spicy chile salt?
I love chocolate & nut coated bananas too. I believe that was the first dessert I proudly "baked" as a kid :)
Your book has been shipped out by the way, so hope you get to enjoy it soon! Heather's got some really beautiful recipes in there.
Alexandria says
Brûléed bananas are the bomb!
Audrey says
Indeed ♥
The Vegan 8 says
This parfait looks absolutely beautiful Audrey! You definitely did her dessert justice! It looks so fancy and elegant. I don't even like bananas (as we recently discussed, lol) but this still looks insanely good and rich. Great job!!
Audrey says
Thanks so much Brandi! I think it's one photogenic dessert to be honest :)
And it's funny you mentioned it, because after our discussion about banana lovers & haters, I just kept thinking bummer for the banana non-loving people because this dessert is amazing. And I think I got the solution for it: for the non-banana lovers out there {you strange, strange people!} swap out the banana in the pudding part for some peanut or almond butter, and swap the sliced bananas for some sliced strawberries or raspberries -- Done ;)
Suzanne says
I love raw banana cream pie and it is always a hit with my friends.
I was shocked at how delicious avocado, bananas and chocolate are together in a pudding.
Audrey says
Avocado, chocolate, bananas, and banana cream pie seem to be a recurring theme here Suzanne :) -- all are definitely amazing! Thank you for sharing ♥
Terje says
Reading this made me feel so hungry! Going to make some dessert right after finishing this comment :)
The weirdest flavour pairing I've recently discovered is redcurrants with rosé pepper. Tried it for one of my vegan ice creams and it was surprisingly awesome. Made everything seem just a little bit more fancy. Oh, and bananas in curry are awesome as well, but that is probably a less surprising combination.
I can't remember what else I've had with bananas that have blown my mind, but a few weeks ago I sliced up some bananas, dipped them in honey and cinnamon, covered with coconut flour and fried on the pan. I can imagine this would be amazing with vanilla ice cream. I had them for breakfast, because that's how I roll :D
Audrey says
I noticed you using those pink peppers in your desserts lately. Sounds amazing -- that's definitely not something I've tried before. And I've never heard of bananas in a curry! What kind of curry do they go well in? Any?
Terje says
So far I've only had bananas in a curry in a few Indian restaurants and in one recipe I made at home: http://angryhungryhobbit.com/2015/01/20/mild-banana-curry/. It's not a vegan recipe, but you can easily skip the chicken and make it with just spices and banana to make it vegan. Super-simple to make and seriously so tasty that my family didn't believe this was my own recipe. Best praise ever :D
Audrey says
Very interesting, Terje -- you're full of surprises :) I'll have a look at your curry. Would have never thought to use bananas and I ate Indian food nearly every day for years!
Terje says
I love mixing foods that don't seem to match initially and I'm a sucker for sweet ingredients in savoury foods. As pineapple in any form besides "freshly cut and straight to the mouth" is banned by the Dutchie, it kind of made sense to add bananas to a curry at some point instead of experimenting with pineapple :D
Audrey says
Yes, I know what you mean. I love using apples like that sometimes. And pineapple is amazing in savory things. I just never thought to use bananas!
Terje says
Another super-easy way of using bananas for savoury food - make "butterflowers" out of them! Slice the bananas, fry them on a pan on butter or whatever substitute you wish, serve with fresh rice and some salad on the side. This goes pretty well for me if I'm feeling sick and don't really want anything, but need to fill my stomach. It's definitely filling!
Savanna @ Glutenfreeveganpantry.com says
The most interesting flavour combination that we've tried here at home is curry and maple. We love to add maple syrup to EVERYTHING (maybe it's cause we're Canadian, eh? LOL) and one day, my husband just decided to toss it into a curry dish he was preparing. The results were amazing!! It was spicy, tangy and sweet - a perfect tri-fecta of flavour.
My all-time favourite banana dish would have to be Banana Boats. Hands down! I first learned about these while camping with some friends of mine in the ninth grade. Leaving the banana peeled, you slice through it halfway length wise (as though you were making a banana split), leaving the bottom peel in tack. Then you gently pry it open and stuff it with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Carefully squish it all back together, wrap the entire thing in tin foil and then place into the coals of your campfire. Leave in the coals for about 20-30 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure that it does not burn. Once everything is all melty and gooey, remove from coals and carefully unwrap. Mix the melted chocolate chips, marshmallows and banana all together and enjoy! Mmmmmm is it summer yet? ;)
I just found your blog through our connection on Instagram and I really love everything I've seen so far. Keep the deliciousness coming!
Audrey says
I add maple syrup to everything too, Savanna ~~ like true Canadians ;)
Those banana boats sound pretty awesome -- definitely summer-campy! Nothing beats chocolate, banana, and marshmallows :)
Kelly Payton says
My mother is a southern woman and their favorite and mine is homemade banana pudding.
Audrey says
Homemade banana pudding is just wonderful, isn't it? :) Thank you for sharing, Kelly!
Lisa Groenewold says
Would absolutely love a copy of this book! :)
My favorite banana recipe would have to be Grilled Bananas with ice cream and chocolate sauce. It's amazing!
Keep up the great work. :)
Audrey says
That sounds very yummy, Lisa! Thanks for sharing :)
Curious -- do you grill the banana in the peel?
Leah M @ love me, feed me says
This looks absolutely incredible!! I am all for weird flavour pairings. Especially in sandwiches haha! PB&J + chip sandwich, pickles and peanut butter, pb and sriracha on toast, avo + almond butter on toast. Wow I really do like my weird combos lol!
Banana stuffed swedish pancakes! ! ! I used to eat them all the time as a kid when I'd sleep over at my friends' house (usually as breakfast, but dessert too). Also recently I stuffed a banana with a cookie dough I made and baked it then topped with lots of nut butter - heavennnnn!!!
Audrey says
Pickles and peanut butter?!? I think you just blew me away, Leah :) Never considered trying that. And I never had stuffed swedish pancakes -- sound delish. Must look those up! Thanks for sharing ♥
Sandy P says
I've always liked fried or baked bananas. I had a dessert at a Mexican restaurant that consisted of fried bananas with this gooey delicious buttery rum syrup and vanilla ice-cream garnished with whipped cream & cinnamon. I gushed over that dessert for the longest time, and years later I found out that it was called Bananas Foster, and not even Mexican. Delicious!! Good luck to everybody, but I really hope I win the book!!!
★★★★★
Audrey says
That sort of made me laugh, Sandy. As I was reading your description I was wondering if Mexicans have a version of banana foster, until I got to the last bit :) Banana foster is amazing -- I haven't had any in ages. Perhaps it's time to make some... Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
The other day I tried allspice with blueberries in some steel cut oats. It's not something I would have thought would have worked- I never really thought to use allspice on it's own- I always see it in blends. But, it was delicious!
As for favorite banana desert, the raw banana ice cream cannot be beat. How amazingly simple and ingenious.
Thanks for this opportunity! So glad I happened upon your blog!
Audrey says
I agree, Amy -- raw banana ice cream definitely cannot be beat :)
The allspice sounds interesting. I love pairing blueberries with nutmeg or cardamom, but don't think I tried just allspice yet.
Natalie @ Feasting on Fruit says
I'm not keen on crazy flavor combos, I tend to like things simple and one note so I haven't tried too many weird pairings. For a long time I could not believe that cinnamon and chocolate would actually taste good together, but that is now one of my favorite combinations. One gingerbread chocolate bar a few christmas's back and I was sold. I know it's not that crazy, but oh well :D
Audrey says
Haven't tried weird pairings?!?! Says the lady who brought you purple sweet potato frosting ;)
I actually love cinnamon and chocolate together too, though if I think about it, it's an odd one -- probably because I think of those flavors as very distinct. That gingerbread chocolate bar sounds seriously yummy though!
Lea Rafferty says
My favourite banana dessert is caramelised bananas - slices of banana cooked in a skillet with butter and brown sugar.
Audrey says
Caramelized bananas are amazing, Lea! The simplest things are often the best. Thanks for sharing, Lea.
Jaclyn F says
1) I put turmeric powder in my hot chocolate. It sounds like a weird flavor combo, but it works.
2) Mmmm, bananas foster... :D
★★★★
Audrey says
Turmeric in hot chocolate -- sounds interesting. Do you find it adds flavor, or are you adding it in because it's easy to mask it? Just curious :)
And YES to the banana foster -- it's on my very long "to make" list...
Jaclyn F says
I really like the flavor combo! It's not usually the only spice I add, usually I also add some combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cayennw, and/or cardamom also. :)
Audrey says
I'll have to try it next time -- thanks for sharing, Jaclyn :)
Julie Watkins says
To Think you can make a yummy creamy desert with raw cashews and choice of cacao or fruit or both is amazing and each time I make one it blows me away. So smooth and creamy. The date and nut base adds to the deliciousness of it.
Chocolate moose with Avocado, cacao and maple syrup with the bananas of course. Yummo.
Audrey says
Thanks Julie -- it's amazing what you can do with a few simple ingredients, isn't it? :)
Chocolate and avocado mousse is a really great dessert, and I absolutely love cacao, maple syrup, and bananas! Thanks for sharing!
Dana says
The best banana dessert I have ever had has got to be raw banana ice cream. Simply throwing frozen bananas into a food processor and topping it with cacao nibs really makes my day. I've heard that you could take the ice cream and put it in the freezer to firm it up, but I could never wait that long, I like eating it soft-serve like anyway.
I know you would appreciate some inspiration for a new recipe, so I was wondering if you would consider making a vegan souffle? A chocolate one perhaps? I have never tasted a souffle before, but I have always searched for a healthy vegan one to make myself, so far, no luck.
Audrey says
Banana ice cream is my breakfast pretty much every day -- love it in any shape or form :)
Thanks so much for the souffle suggestion, Dana. I love it. Definitely adding it to my "to make list."
Your book copy has been shipped out by the way, so hope you receive it shortly. All the best and happy {un}baking! ♥
Dana says
Thank you Audrey, I can't wait to receive it.
Aida B. says
Love the versatility of using sweet potato, as a sweet and also for savoury dishes. (love, sweet potato,bacon,walnut and spinach salad).
My favourite banana dish which left such an impression on me, was banana fritters! Had these at an Asian restaurant and they were just delicious. Unfortunately, this was many, many years ago and have never tried making these as i refuse to cook anything that is deep fried :(
Would love to win a copy of this book, just the cover looks so tempting!
Audrey says
I know what you mean about those deep fried banana dishes in Thai restaurants -- they are so good. I think I had some of the best sweets from there. But like yourself, I'm not a fan of deep frying anything, so they are no longer on the menu for me either.
I do love sweet potato in anything though. Thanks for sharing!
Sadique says
Anything with banana - I love from ice cream to banana cake - I always love peanut butter with my bananas and I'd love to find a recipe that combines ice cream , peanut butter, cake and bananas - I'd be in heaven! Yum!
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Audrey says
I'm with you Sadique -- bananas are great in everything! Especially with peanut butter :) Thanks for sharing!
Vicky says
This parfait looks amazingly delicious! I love the addition of cacao nibs - yum!
1. The best flavour combination - lemon and ginger which explains my favourite dessert!
2. Best dessert - It's a lemon cheesecake dessert with a ginger biscuit base I used to make for every anniversary or birthday - everyone just adored it. I've now made it vegan and healthier using lemon cashew cream instead of the dairy filling and home made ginger cookies. It tastes just as awesome, especially layered in a glass!
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Audrey says
Your lemon ginger dessert sounds absolutely yummy, Vicky. Thanks for sharing!
Kelsey R says
Everything about that parfait looks absolutely delicious - I love serving foods in a mason jar so you can see everything that's in it!
As for the most bizarre food pairing - a few months ago at work, our pipes froze so we had no running water for the morning. I hadn't eaten my breakfast (dry oats in a MASON JAR!! with almond butter and honey) yet but had no way to cooking it without water. I did happen to have some chai tea that I brought in. I figured...why not? I poured the rest of the tea into the jar, microwaved it. It was surprisingly amazing -- spicy.
My favorite banana dessert is banana cream pie. So light and fluffy!
Audrey says
Chai tea oatmeal and banana cream pie both sound amazing, Kelsey. Thanks for sharing! And I agree -- desserts in a jar are wonderful :)
Carmen (Dreger) says
Never would have thought an avocado with chocolate would be a good thing to combine with a recipe but it is very good. I use bananas in my cookies, oatmeal, bread, smoothies, pudding. I love to cook and bake healthy foods. commentluv
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Audrey says
Thanks for sharing, Carmen.
Avocado and chocolate definitely go well together, but I remember too thinking it was an odd concept when I first heard of it. Makes a really good mouse or frosting!
Beth E. says
Wow, that parfait looks SO good! I love bananas and chocolate together! I have two banana desserts that I can say are the best I've ever had:
1) as a child, my grandmother always made me a homemade banana cream pie with merengue. She was even allergic to bananas, but always made it for me because she knew how much I loved it.
2) now, I have to say banana "nice" cream with cashew-based chocolate chip cookie dough balls mixed in and crushed up on top. It's a favorite post-summer-race treat for me!
I'd love a copy of that cookbook. Thanks for the giveaway!
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Audrey says
Thanks for sharing, Beth!
Banana cream pie with meringue sounds amazing! I’m still trying to figure out how to make an eggless meringue that’s refined sugar-free. And nana ice cream is a total favorite of mine — I pretty much have it for breakfast every day, though it sounds nice with those cookies on top!