Bananas With “Caramel” Sauce Recipe
I had this for lunch the other day and it was so delicious, satisfying & easy to make that I decided to share this simple recipe on my blog. Check out the picture I took:
Bananas with “Caramel” Sauce
It all started with me having some dates sitting around doing nothing. I have been eating mostly mono-meals lately, plus lots of melons, so the decent-sized glass container filled with dates was getting lonely in my fridge… I decided to come up with an easy recipe that could use dates, and here we go — my “Caramel” Sauce was born. Now, the sauce didn’t really taste like caramel, but it had the perfect consistency and color so I decided to call it that.
Initially, I was a little uncertain about what to pair my dates with… until I saw a bag of organic sun-dried Incan berries at my health food store. Normally, I don’t even look at dried fruit and I blissfully pass it while grocery shopping. Who needs it, especially during the summer when the fresh fruit is so abundant? However, this time I stopped, picked up the bag of Incan berries and placed it in my shopping bag. Something told me that they would pair beautifully with dates, even though I’ve never had them before.
Boy, was I right! The “caramel” sauce made with dates and Incan berries totally blew my mind and exceeded my expectations by far. It was so good I just wanted to eat it straight with a spoon. It shined over sliced bananas. Incan berries offered a pleasing taste balanced between sweetness and tangy tartness which helped to temper the dates. I soaked the berries for about 24 hours before I used them in this recipe — they still were quite firm and held their shape nicely. I believe you can soak them even longer, especially if you have a regular blender that is not as powerful as Vitamix. Just make sure you keep them refrigerated all the time.
If you cannot get Incan berries from the store, you can order them online by following this link. This is the exact same brand that I’ve used in my recipe. The 8 oz package contains about 1.5 cups of dried berries.
Important Note: Normally, I don’t encourage the consumption of dried fruit for many reasons. I certainly don’t recommend to eat it straight as it will stick to your teeth and provide perfect nourishment to the bacteria that cause cavities. Dried fruit can also cause dehydration. With that said, I still believe that dried fruit has its place in a raw vegan diet. For instance, when you’re traveling and your access to fresh fruit is limited — dried fruit can save your butt from starving or going completely off the program. If you’re to use dried fruit under normal circumstances at all make sure you always pre-soak it in advance and use it very sparingly, preferably in recipes that require a small amount. Personally, I limit my consumption of dried fruit like these Incan berries to only a few times a year. This recipe was definitely a special treat, not something I would eat on a regular basis. However, if you’re just starting and looking for more ways to eat fruit — this might be something you need!
I also would like to mention that this was a pretty calorie-dense meal (around 850 calories), and it kept me satisfied for a long time.
So, to make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
4 medium cheetah-spotted ripe bananas
“Caramel” Sauce
8 large Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in advance for 30 minutes in 1/2 cup water
3/4 cup (4 oz) Incan berries, soaked in advance for up to 24 hours in 3/4 cup water
Method:
Slice your bananas and place in a shallow bowl. Set aside. Make the “caramel” sauce by combining dates, Incan berries and soaking water in a blender (high-powered blender like Vitamix is preferred). Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the sauce over sliced bananas and enjoy!
Notes:
1. Always make sure your bananas are nicely spotted and ripe before eating them or using in a recipe. I strategically placed a ripe banana next to my bowl so you know how it looks, just in case you’ve forgotten! 
2. Medjool dates are pretty large dates, so if you have smaller ones, use a few more.
3. If you cannot find Incan berries you can substitute sun-dried Mulberries in this recipe. The flavor is not going to be the same, but it will still be delicious. Dried Mulberries don’t need to be soaked for a long time, and 30 minutes is usually enough.
4. If you use 4 medium bananas like I did you might not use all the sauce. Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will keep well in the fridge for a couple of days.
All in all, this was a bold sauce that made all the flavors dance together. I made some banana ice-cream the next day and used the leftover “caramel” sauce on top if it… Yum! I don’t think I ever enjoyed my food as much as I do now, eating mostly fruit, day in and day out.
Please try this recipe and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you and reading your comments!
Here’s To You, Loving Your Diet,
Vlada
