It is a Michigan ritual to celebrate Paczki Day on Fat Tuesday by eating a traditional Polish jelly-filled or cream-filled fried pastry called a paczek (pronounced PON-check). But if you are not in the mood for such a rich treat, there are other options. These fruit-filled delicacies are lighter than the traditional fried treat – significantly lower in saturated fat, sugar and overall calories. But the concept remains the same: a sweet, fruit-filled fluffy treat topped with confectioner’s sugar.
In this recipe, banana slices are dipped in a fluffy batter, seared to golden perfection, then served on a platter with drizzles of raspberry preserves and a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy as breakfast or dessert.
Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. sugar or sweetener
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 4 bananas
- 2 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
- ¼ cup raspberry preserves
Instructions:
- Combine together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla.
- Use a whisk to mix wet ingredients in the well together first before slowly folding them into the dry ingredients. Mix together until smooth. Add more milk if the batter is too thick. It should be able to pour out of a ladle.
- Slice bananas ½ -inch thick and add a few to the batter, making sure they are completely covered.
- Heat a nonstick pan over low-medium heat. Lightly grease pan with butter. Add battered banana slices, leaving space in between.
- When the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip with a spatula and cook until golden. Repeat with remaining banana slices.
- Add confectioner’s sugar to a sieve and dust over the banana bites.
- Add finished bites to a serving plate. Put raspberry preserves in a plastic bag and cut off a small corner. Squeeze the preserves over the bananas in a fine drizzle. Enjoy!
Shanthi Appelö is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan based in Detroit. Passionate about the science of nutrition and behavior, Shanthi has experience working in clinical nutrition, public health and teaching in the university setting. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, working on art and spending time with family. For more recipes and health information, visit ahealthiermichigan.org.
Author: A Healthier Michigan
Our mission is to help everyone in Michigan get healthier from the inside out. This means everything from giving you resources to help you make better decisions about diet and exercise, as well as information on creating and sustaining nurturing communities and successful businesses — everything you need to help create a healthier Michigan.
Our mission is to help everyone in Michigan get healthier from the inside out. This means everything from giving you resources to help you make better decisions about diet and exercise, as well as information on creating and sustaining nurturing communities and successful businesses — everything you need to help create a healthier Michigan.
