Ackee Fruit & Green Bananas Dish

Ok, here is a dish that’s different for those who want to try. This is a staple dish for breakfast in the island of Jamaica which includes salted fish, green bananas, a steamed green vegetable and dumplings. My husband is an excellent cook so he made this without any meat or the extra stuff.

It’s normally eaten for breakfast but here in my house we have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s delicious and full of calcium, proteins and omega 6 fatty acids.  We are constantly asked by family members and friends, how we get our proteins and calcium if we don’t eat meat or drink cow’s milk…..so these amongst other plant base foods is how we maintain a healthy diet. 

Health benefits of the Ackee Fruit
Ackee Fruit is a bright red berry that grows all over in the tropics, Caribbean, and also in Florida. The fruit must be fully ripe and split open to be edible, otherwise it’s toxic. It’s loaded with fatty acids; in fact over 50% of the fatty acids are linoleic, stearic, and palmitic acids. It’s full of Omega 6 oils and do not contain any cholesterol or saturated fats. It looks and tastes similar to scrambled eggs. The Ackee Fruit is high in protein, full of good energy producing carbs, and great B and C Vitamins, Zinc, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Calcium. Ackee Fruit is low in calories, high in fiber, and low in carbs too!

The pods of the Ackee Fruit can be used instead of soap for washing clothes, used in cosmetics, and the seeds can be made into natural pesticides.

Benefits of Green Bananas
The green banana is really an unripened yellow banana but has different uses. While you can eat the yellow banana immediately after peeling, the green banana is best eaten cooked, either boiled or fried. Nutritionally, the green banana is a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and contains a starch that may help control blood sugar, manage weight and lower blood cholesterol levels.

It’s also a good source of resistant starch which is a type of starch that cannot be broken down by enzymes in your digestive system and, therefore, acts more like a fiber than a starch. Green bananas contain a high amount of resistant starch which may reduce the risk of diabetes by aiding in blood sugar control and heart disease by helping to lower blood cholesterol levels.

In addition to the resistant starch, green bananas are also a good source of fiber, high in potassium and vitamin B-6. A 1-cup serving of boiled green bananas contains 3.6 g of fiber. Fiber can also reduce risk of diabetes and heart disease. In addition, fiber in food slows digestion, helping you feel full longer, aiding in weight control. A 1-cup serving of boiled green bananas contains 531 mg of potassium. Including more high-potassium foods in your diet may aid in blood pressure control.

Here is my version…well actually my hubby version of the recipe!

Ingredients

·         Green Bananas with skin on (1 pack)

·         Olive oil for sautéing

·         ½ Onion

·         Green Onions (sprinkle on top)

·         2 Tomatoes

·         5 Cloves Garlic

·         ½ a Stick of Leek

·         Sea Salt

·         Black Pepper

Wash green bananas with the skin still on, place in a pot of boiling water until tender about 15 minutes. Green bananas are fully cooked when you are able to stick a fork into the skin of the bananas. Next in a pan, add a little olive oil and fry the tomatoes for about 3 minutes add the onions, garlic and leek. Add your salt and black pepper for taste. Saute for about 2 minutes then you add the *Ackee Fruit, stir and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes or until you reach the desire taste. Sprinkle a little green onions on top and you are finish.    

*You can purchase Ackee Fruit at any international or Caribbean market. I used the Linstead Market Jamaica brand.

Serving Amount: 3