Caramelized Banana Yogurt Bowl
“Caramelized banana yogurt bowl” sounds more like a dessert recipe, and if you ask me those are the best kinds of breakfast recipes. Even better when said recipe is actually healthy AND delicious, both of which this is (yay!!!) This yogurt bowl is refined sugar-free, full of protein from the greek yogurt, and healthy fats from the nuts. And for my fiber-obsessed queens out there, the addition of chia seed pudding, which is great for overall gut health.
But the real star of the show here, and this recipe’s crown jewel, is the caramelized banana. The contrast of the cold, thick, and creamy yogurt with the warm banana fresh off the pan, with notes of cinnamon and vanilla, is just to die for. It’s like a warm hug in a bowl, and a total game-changer for yogurt bowl enthusiasts such as myself. When I first discovered this combo, I was so hooked that I think I had this for breakfast (or dinner… no shame here) for a whole week. It’s THAT good. All of this to say, please (!!!) make it. I promise it will change your breakfast game for the better, especially if you’re a sweet-breakfast type of person. And please let me know in the comments if you try it out, I’d love to hear your thoughts :)
Caramelized Banana Yogurt Bowl
*makes 1
Ingredients
150 grams of a good quality, thick, greek yogurt, I like Fage 5% or Finesse 3 Zeros
1 banana, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1/2 tbsp butter or coconut oil
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp almond butter
1/4 cup blueberries, jumbo-sized ones are best
2 tbsp pecans or any nut of your choice, like almonds or walnuts
Honey, for drizzling
For the chia seed pudding:
1 tbsp chia seeds
3-4 tbsp almond milk, regular milk, or even water, depending on how thick you want it
1 tsp honey
Instructions
1) Make the chia seed pudding: In a small container with a lid, add the almond milk and honey and mix until combined and honey has dissolved. Then, sprinkle in your chia seeds. Cover and let sit in the fridge at least 20 minutes before using, or preferably overnight. I also recommend making a big batch of pudding by tripling the recipe, and having it in the fridge ready to use when you need it. This way, you’ll always have it ready and on hand, and don’t have to wait for it to rest when you want a yogurt bowl.
2) Add your yogurt to a bowl and swirl it over the bottom of it with a spoon. You can add about 2 tbsp of the rested chia seed pudding to your yogurt now and fully mix it in if you prefer it this way, as opposed to scooping it on later. Place the bowl with the yogurt in the freezer while you prepare the bananas.
3) Slice your banana lengthwise, so you have two thin and long halves. Place a pan over medium-low and add your butter or coconut oil, along with the vanilla and cinnamon. Slightly mix them up with a spatula, and then add your banana halves to the pan, cut side-down. Cook, lowering the heat if necessary, until the side of the banana that’s touching the skillet caramelizes to a nice golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Carefully remove each half from the pan, and place cut side-up on top of the yogurt, so that the caramelized side is facing up.
4) Now time for more toppings! If you haven’t already, add your chia seed pudding, along with your blueberries and your nuts. You can arrange these toppings aesthetically like in the picture, or just sprinkle them in –whatever works best for you! Drizzle your almond butter over the bananas, and finish with another drizzle of honey if you like (I like to add about 1 tsp of honey over the blueberries). Serve immediately, so you can enjoy the temperature contrast of the warm bananas and the cold yogurt.
