These Baked Banana Boats Don't Require a Campfire—and They're Healthy
Remember banana boats? That gooey, delicious dessert you'd unwrap with your camp counselor's help? Us, too. And we missed them so much, we decided to recreate them at home, sans campfire. (Related: The Healthiest Banana Split Recipe Ever)
For the uninitiated, "banana boats" are a campfire tradition loved by kids and adults alike. Plus, they're portable and require very little cleanup, which makes them an ideal camping dessert. Wrapping bananas in aluminum foil, adding chocolate and marshmallows, and watching the entire thing melt up over a toasty fire...what could be better?
So, when we realized we could whip up a batch of these guys at home in the oven, and keep them from being so laden with processed sugar that they qualified as cheat day noms (C.D.N.), we rejoiced. Find our lighter, healthier version below, make them this weekend, and try to remember a few campfire tunes while you're at it.
Baked Banana Boats
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
4 large, ripe bananas, unpeeled
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Lighter toppings of your choosing (unsweetened granola, dried cranberries, unsweetened flaked coconut, raspberries, blueberries, nuts, etc.)
Directions
Place bananas on a baking sheet lined with four 10-inch squares of aluminum foil. Using a knife, make a slit in the middle of each banana peel until you reach the banana itself, and leave about 1/4 inch intact at both ends of the fruit. Crumple the foil up and around each banana to keep it in place and to ensure that the banana doesn't tip over once it's filled with toppings.
Fill each banana "slit" with a handful or so of chocolate chips, then add whatever other toppings you desire. Fold the foil over the top of the banana so that the whole fruit is concealed.
Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool slightly before enjoying (the foil may be hot-be careful!).
