Go bananas for a healthy family dessert

Isn't it easy to get into that dessert-every-evening trap? Not only can after-dinner noshing add oodles of extra calories to your daily diet, it can create an unhealthy ritual for your family.

While we don't want to ban treats altogether in our family, we do want to find ways to really enjoy eating healthier snacks together. Since the produce market has been packed full the last few weeks, we've been working on ways to make fruit the main ingredient in our desserts. After the dinner dishes are finished up and we're settling in for a bit of American Idol, we've been enjoying our fave fruit of the month: Bananas.

Sure, bananas aren't a replacement for a slice of chocolate cake. But the good news is that they can satisfy a sweet tooth. Bananas don't have fat, saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium and they are packed full of fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Here are two easy recipes that you can make with your kids, enjoy with your kids and feel good about for everyone!



Peel bananas and skewer with a popsicle stick or similar stick that's safe for food use.

Dip in low-fat yogurt or honey.

Roll in granola, crushed breakfast cereal, graham cracker crumbs, raw coconut, finely chopped nuts or some other crunchy goodness.

Place in a bowl or on wax paper and freeze for a half-hour.

Enjoy a healthy cool off!