I absolutely love bananas foster.
On a recent trip to the Bay Area, I had breakfast at a really good restaurant, Jack’s in San Bruno. They serve a delicious Bananas Foster French Toast topped with cinnamon cream.
It was super delicious! I devoured that thing!
After having this, I knew I had to do another bananas foster recipe. I just had to.
Now, I already have a bananas foster recipe on the blog, a protein pancake recipe you can find here. But I thought, how can I improve upon this recipe, do something different with it, and make it taste even better than it already is?!
Well….
peanut butter of course. That’s a given.
But, the other answer(s)…..add some dark chocolate to the mix!
And another favorite ingredient of mine….
amaretto.
A.K.A….almond extract.
So that’s exactly what I did.
And I think the results are nothing short of spectacular!
So, without further adieu…
Enter….my Dark Chocolate Bananas Foster Protein Crepes!!
Super lean, flourless, high protein, low carb crepes…
topped with caramelized bananas, a flambéed amaretto rum sauce, cinnamon, peanut butter, and a luscious 72% cacao dark chocolate drizzle…..
an elegant fusion of flavors…
so mouthwatering….so delicious….
this is a bananas foster like you have never seen or tried before 🤯🤯🤯!!
I mean, bananas foster is already delicious in and of itself, but when you add peanut butter, dark chocolate, and amaretto to the mix….
like the Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth….or Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski.…
this is a match made in foodie heaven!
KA-POW!!
Bananas Foster was first served at Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana back in 1951. It traditionally consists of vanillla ice cream smothered with caramelized bananas in a brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, banana liqueur, and dark rum sauce that is flambéed, or ignited.
Traditional bananas foster calls for butter and brown sugar, but since this blog is all about using healthier, natural ingredients, I opted for this bananas foster recipe to be cleaner, leaner, and protein-packed.
So instead of butter, in its place I used olive oil.
Olive oil is much healthier, as it is packed with antioxidants and healthy, monounsaturated fats, which is said to be good for the heart. And plus, its flavor goes great with bananas.
Instead of brown sugar, I used maple syrup.
Maple syrup is a natural sweetener that also contains nutrients like manganese, zinc, and iron. Certain studies have found maple syrup to have about 24 different types of antioxidants. Maple syrup still has a lot of sugar, but it is somewhat a better choice than brown sugar.
Instead of vanilla ice cream, which is high in fats, sugars, carbs, and calories—I opted to douse the bananas foster sauce with some antioxidant-rich 72% cacao dark chocolate.
And last but not least, the crepe batter is pretty much made out of whey protein powder and eggs. NO flour needed. The crepes alone, are loaded with about 60+ grams of protein.
Put it all together, and you got one banana-filled, high protein, super delicious dish—perfect for breakfast, dessert, or whenever you feel like it!
The flambéed rum sauce consists of bananas, amaretto (almond extract), cinnamon, maple syrup, and rum.
It is said that the darker the rum, the more flavorful the sauce. I used a spiced rum for this recipe, which is a pretty dark rum, and it delivers a rich, bold flavor that compliments everything else very nicely.
Experiment with different kinds of rums and flambé it to taste the difference.
Please note that adding rum is completely optional, as the recipe will still taste awesome without it. More on rum and the flambé down below…
OK, here are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Dark Chocolate Bananas Foster Protein Crepes…
Dark chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, fight free radical damage, and fight disease. Certain research has shown dark chocolate to maybe help improve brain function, boost memory, and enhance focus. Studies have found flavonols in dark chocolate may help improve blood circulation to the heart and may help lower blood pressure.
Bananas are fully-loaded with potassium, a very important nutrient which has been shown to help support the body’s circulatory system, help move oxygen throughout our cells, and helps to lower high blood pressure. Bananas are high in fiber, which helps to keep our digestive system running smoothly and helps to remove toxins.
Cinnamon is widely-considered as the most antioxidant-rich natural spice available in the world. The antioxidants found in cinnamon are believed to maybe help fight cancer, slow the aging process, fight off disease, and protect cells from DNA damage. Studies have shown cinnamon may help lower blood pressure and help increase blood circulation.
Peanut butter, which is basically grounded up peanuts, contain about 8 grams of protein per ounce, this is more than all other nuts. Peanuts contain bioactives like flavonols and phenolic acids, that provide numerous health benefits. Studies have shown that resveratrol (found on the peanut skins), a bioactive found in only a few foods, may help lower risks of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.
Here’s what you’ll need…
For the crepe batter:
For the fillings and drizzles:
For the rum sauce:
IMPORTANT note….I do use rum for this recipe, and I use the flambé technique, which is a method used where you ignite the sauce with a hand held multi purpose lighter—this quickly burns up most of the alcohol, leaving behind the unique flavors, juices, and aromas from the rum…
***This is a dangerous technique and PLEASE TAKE ALL NECESSARY FIRE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS whenever introducing an open flame while cooking in the kitchen. I am not a professional, I am not certified to teach you how to do this, and I won’t be responsible if anything bad happens. (Sorry, just covering my ass here). So please be EXTREMELY careful—-do some extra research, watch some Youtube videos, learn fire safety, learn proper technique, and/or have special supervision before even attempting to do this. Please be careful guys, I cannot stress this enough.
-When adding the rum, never pour straight from the bottle! Extremely flammable! Measure the amount needed and pour from a separate glass/container instead.
–Keep hair, face, body, clothing, children, pets, flammable items AWAY from the heat source at ALL times!
-I used a stainless steel sauté pan for the flambé. Not sure how a nonstick, teflon, ceramic, or an aluminum pan’s material will respond to the extra heat…
-If you don’t have a fire extinguisher handy, have a metal lid or a damp, wet towel at the ready to cover the flame, just in case of emergency.
Also, according to numerous sources, the flambé technique does NOT remove all the alcohol from the dish. If so, there will still be some alcohol left over. Please be AWARE of this. And please be over 21 years of age if you will be using rum.
***Adding rum to the sauce is completely optional—-you can skip the last steps altogether, omit the alcohol, and the recipe will still taste great!***
If you like these, then you’re gonna love my Peanut Butter Bananas Foster Protein Pancakes!!
And you gotta check out my Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Protein Donuts!!
Alright then, let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
crepes
|
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp monk fruit sweetener
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/8 cup almond milk
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 med bananas (sliced)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp almond extract
- cinnamon
- 2 tbsp spiced rum (optional)
- 1 large banana (thinly sliced)
- peanut butter
- cinnamon
- cinnamon
- amaretto rum sauce
- dark chocolate squares (72% cacao or higher)
Ingredients
crepe batter:
amaretto rum sauce:
crepe filling:
garnish:
|
|
- Set pan to low/med heat.
- In large bow, add batter ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.
- Measure about 1/3 cup of batter and pour onto pan. Quickly, tilt pan in circular motions, until batter coats entire bottom of pan. Should form a nice, circular shape. Continue to tilt pan until batter becomes set.
- Let cook for about 30+ seconds, or until spatula slides cleanly underneath. Flip over.
- Let cook for about 30 seconds or until spatula slides cleanly underneath. This side should cook quicker.
- Repeat process until all batter is finished. Makes about 3 crepes.
- Slather peanut butter onto one side of flat crepe. Add sliced bananas. Drizzle cinnamon on top. Gently roll crepe from one side to the other. Repeat process for other 2 crepes. Set aside.
- Set stovetop to medium heat. When hot enough, add olive oil. Add sliced bananas. Let cook for about 2 minutes.
- Flip banana slices over. Add maple syrup, cinnamon, almond extract. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- (Optional) For flambé: Turn off heat. Take pan off heat and away from stovetop. Add rum. Immediately, with pan away from face, hair, body, clothing, ignite using multi-purpose lighter. (see notes)
- (Optional) Place back on stovetop. Leave heat OFF! Let it cook until flames subside, about 30 seconds. Let sit for 1-2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add dark chocolate squares into a bowl. Melt in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted.
- Drizzle cinnamon over top of crepes. Pour caramelized bananas with rum sauce over crepes. Drizzle melted dark chocolate. Enjoy!!
Adding rum and using the flambé technique is completely optional! Recipe will taste just as good even without it!
If you're going to be adding rum, please be 21 years of age or older.
-Contrary to popular belief, even after a flambé, some alcohol will still remain in the dish. If this is true, please be aware of this.
-PLEASE TAKE ALL NECESSARY FIRE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS whenever introducing an open flame while cooking in the kitchen. I am not a professional, I am not certifiedto teach you how to do this, and I won't be responsible if anything bad happens. (Sorry, just covering my ass here). So please be EXTREMELY careful----do some extra research, watch some Youtube videos, learn fire safety, learn proper technique, and/or have special supervision before even attempting to do this. Please be carefulguys, I cannot stress this enough!
-When adding the rum, never pour straight from the bottle! Extremely flammable! Measure the amount needed and pour from a separate glass/container instead.
-Keep hair, face, body, clothing, children, pets, flammable items AWAY from the heat source at ALL times!
-I used a stainless steel sauté pan for the flambé. Not sure how a nonstick, teflon, ceramic, or an aluminum pan's material will respond to the extra heat...
-Have a metal lid or a damp, wet towel at the ready to cover the flame, just in case of emergency.
Did you try this recipe? How did it turn out for you? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comment section below or use the social media links you see above or throughout the blog. Thanks guys!!
Crepe batter:
Crepe filling and dark chocolate drizzle:
Amaretto rum sauce:
