Cultured Bananas
If you're on a low carb, Ketogenic or sugar free diet and you find yourself missing different types of yummy fruits (but you don't miss the sugar), then I've got the best solution for you!!! Just ferment them! I've been fermenting my fruits for years now as adding beneficial bacteria to them in the way of coconut yoghurt or coconut kefir removes all the sugar in the fruit. How you ask? The good bacteria in the cultures feeds on all the sugars and removes them, leaving a sugar-free version of the fruit + it'll be enhanced because it's now rich in probiotics, enzymes, bio-available nutrients and minerals + so it's much gentler on your gut. You can read more about fermentation in my blog here.
INGREDIENTS
4-5 bananas, chopped
Coconut water kefir to cover
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Chop the bananas and add them to a clean 2L glass jar.
2. Pour just enough coconut water kefir over the top of the bananas so they are completely covered. I like to weigh my bananas down using a glass ramekin that fits inside the glass jar, however you could also use a cabbage leaf, this will prevent the bananas from turning brown.
3. Close the lid and place the jar onto a shelf in your pantry, or in your kitchen somewhere. Allow the bananas to ferment for 24-36 hours. Please note in winter they may need slightly longer and in Summer they may ferment quicker, so always taste along the way so you know when they are ready. They will taste and smell like bananas, be slightly fizzy or tangy and have the sweetness removed as the beneficial bacteria in the kefir feeds on the bananas sugars.
Once you've made your cultured bananas you can store them in the fridge ‘as-is’ or freeze them like I do and use them in smoothies, smoothie bowls and ice-cream as a yummy thickener, blend or mix them into coconut yoghurt, or you can make my Keto Banana Pancakes in our cookbook GUTALICIOUS and use them as either a savour wrap/ pancake or a sweet one.
