Written by Aimee Clark
Here is a recipe out of left field, I have never had a Banana Cinnamon Jelly, or for that matter even a banana jelly. It is certainly not a flavour to be found on the supermarket shelves. Though I have to admit it is a way to use up an abundance of bananas, prior to them spoiling.
The recipe is simple enough and will be great fun for the kids to get involved with, bananas are packed full of vitamins. Including the B group of vitamins, and they are a great source of energy for busy kids on the go, best of all they come in their own packaging. Sounds as though I am part of the Bananas marketing team, NO - I just love to eat them, and know their value. So why not give this recipe a go Banana Cinnamon Jelly!
Banana Cinnamon Jelly
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- moulds
Ingredients
- 400 g organic banana flesh cut into small pieces - after being peeled and skin discarded - Tip: opt for organic bananas to reduce chemical exposure, and look for bananas with lots of brown spots on the skin. They’re the healthiest and sweetest!
- 4 tbsp pure grass-fed beef gelatin powder
- 3 tbsp spring/filtered water
- 1 tbsp organic cinnamon powder
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, with the stove turned OFF, add the water then gently sprinkle the gelatin powder over the surface of the water so it coats evenly. Do this one spoonful at a time until all 4 tbsp have been sprinkled over. The water will start to absorb into the gelatin granules, this is called "blooming" and makes dissolving the gelatin much easier than by stirring into hot water. Leave it for a couple of minutes.
- A saucepan with a large diameter works best for this so as much gelatin as possible can be exposed to the surface of the water.
- When you see the gelatin powder has all become slightly translucent turn the stove onto medium heat to slowly warm the liquid up. Grab a whisk and start stirring as soon as the water has warmed through. Whisk until gelatin granules have completely dissolved.
- Remove the saucepan from the stove then add the banana pieces and cinnamon powder then use a stick blender to blend until the mixture looks like a banana smoothie - it should be quite thick. You can leave chunks of banana in there or blend it until smooth, it's up to you.
- If you don't have a stick blender simply pour the gelatin water into a regular blender then add the banana and cinnamon to blend thoroughly.
- Pour the mixture into either individual serving cups or one large container to then refrigerate. It should only take a couple of hours to set in the fridge. If you use a large container you can slice the set jelly to serve individual pieces on a plate or in a bowl.
Notes
Gelatin acts as a natural preservative but is made from beef hide so it will ‘go off’ at some point. The jelly usually lasts about a week in the fridge if sealed with a lid (otherwise it dries out easily) and will start to smell sour when it’s turning.
If the jelly is too firm for your liking, simply use a little less gelatin powder next time.
If the water jelly layer on the bottom is too thick, use a little less water next time. You just need enough water for the gelatin powder to bloom/soften on, too much will great a separate layer of banana water jelly that will sit on the bottom.
Add raw honey or pure Grade B maple syrup into the mixture, or drizzle on when serving.
Add nutmeg powder to the mixture.
Drizzle some pure coconut milk on top to serve and/or a spoonful of organic desiccated coconut for added flavour, texture and healthy fats.
Sprinkle some fresh or thawed organic frozen berries on top to serve, for an added nutrient boost, flavour and texture.
Add other fruits, such as mango, that go well with banana.
Let’s Make a Difference
Every day we have the opportunity to make hundreds of choices. We are so fortunate to live in a time where information is so easily accessible and we have the opportunity and freedom to make choices that we feel are the best for us and our families.
I encourage you to continue educating yourself and others about the benefits of living a plant-based lifestyle. Cook a plant-based meal, opt-out of products like leather, watch a documentary with a family member or friend. It’s easy to feel like the choices we make are small, but when we make these choices together, we can make a big difference!
