Low Carb Frozen Monkey Bites

If you or someone you love has diabetes, I’m sure you’re looking for ways to make diabetic desserts that won’t require too much insulin!  I’ve seen this banana dessert a lot on Pinterest, but ripe bananas and milk chocolate aren’t exactly low carb!  In this post I’ll tell you how to make them diabetic friendly.  Honestly, I think they taste better this way, too, so don’t worry…you’re not missing out on the flavor.

You are missing out on some of the sugar (a good thing), but gaining some resistant starch, iron, fiber, neurotransmitters, copper, manganese, and other essential minerals.  It’s a pretty awesome exchange!  You can thank the green bananas and dark chocolate for all those health benefits.

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Before we get to the recipe, I want to invite you to join with others who are making healthy changes.  I’d love to walk alongside you in your journey towards wholeness and health!

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Here’s how to make the diabetic dessert friendly version of Frozen Monkey Bites:

1) Choose 2 or 3 bananas that are still partly green (see picture above…notice the tops are green, and you can still see some green in the skin).  Unripe bananas have resistant starch in them, which feeds the healthy flora in your gut and is not absorbed as calories.  As the banana ripens these resistant starches turn into sugar.  So, green bananas are both lower in sugar, and they make your gut healthy.  Without a healthy gut you cannot digest and absorb your food properly.  What good is it to eat nutrient rich foods if your body can’t digest and absorb them?  As if these reasons weren’t enough to eat your bananas a bit green, some studies have also shown that resistant starch can help lower blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity!  Here’s a great article if you want more information.

2) Slice the bananas into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.

3) Put a dollop of SunButter Natural Sunflower Seed Spread or all natural peanut butter on one piece, then squish it together with another, and place the “sandwich” on a parchment lined plate or baking sheet.  Freeze for at least an hour.  I skipped the parchment paper and had a bit of trouble getting the frozen pieces off the plate when it was time to dip them in chocolate (not that much trouble, but the paper would help).

Note: All nut butters are NOT the same!  Do not buy one full of sugar and chemicals!  There should be very few ingredients in your nut butter, and none of them should be trans or hydrogenated fats.  Sunbutter does have some sugar, but not much…3 grams per serving.  Read labels!

4) Melt 2-3 cups of very dark chocolate chips/pieces in the microwave.  I used a combination of 63% cocoa, and 70% cocoa.  Cocoa beans are very high in fiber and iron, and they have tons of trace minerals and other goodies, as well.  Maximize the chocolate, and minimize the sugar!  If you are strict Paleo, make sure to read the label on your chocolate to make sure you approve of all the ingredients.  I believe the Enjoy Life brand is Paleo.

5) Use two forks to dip your banana “sandwiches” in the chocolate.  Don’t poke the bananas, use the forks to push them around in the bowl.  Believe me, you need to use the forks…I tried using my fingers, and although it was really fun to lick them off, it was impossible to complete the task!  Cover the bananas completely, wiping off any excess chocolate on the side of the bowl or with one of the forks.

6) Set each dipped piece back onto the parchment paper and freeze until you are ready to serve.  If it’s going to be a while make sure to cover the “sandwiches,” so they don’t end up smelling and tasting like your other foods…really, salmon flavored chocolate banana chunks won’t be popular.

Serve cold and enjoy!