This week on my adventure to find the strangest concoctions the internet has to offer I’m visiting the magical realm of healthy junk food as I try my hand at making banana hotdogs and mango fries.
Now, I use the term ‘make’ very loosely here as there is no actual baking, mixing, whisking, frying or even melting involved in this recipe: it really is just a straight forward healthy snack that can be made in two minutes.
So what makes it weird then I hear you cry? Well it’s the fact that this fruit laden dish is actually inspired by one of the most unhealthy foods imaginable: hotdogs and chips.
The idea came to me when I realised that, despite having a hankering for some fatty, unhealthy foods such as burgers, chips and hotdogs smothered in cheese, this was probably not a good idea. So instead I decided to have a banana, a fruit which I am really not that partial to: it’s fantastic in cakes but I’m not going to dash to the shops to buy some!
As I sat eating my healthy snack I began to think about the junk food that I could be eating instead and then it hit me: why not create a treat which looks like junk food but is actually good for you? It’s every parent’s dream!
I search online and soon come across a recipe that promises to turn the traditional American peanut butter and jelly (also known as jam) sandwich, banana and mango into a healthy facsimile of hotdogs and chips. Without any hesitation I head to the kitchen and give it a go.
I start by cutting a brioche in half (you can use a hotdog roll if you wish). I then spread the inside of the brioche with peanut butter, place a peeled banana inside the roll and top it off with a good squirt of jam. To finish I cut up a mango into chip sized pieces and place it beside my hotdog roll. It really is that simple.
I am slightly shocked at how much my finished treat looks like a hotdog and fries and as I tuck into it I soon find out that it tastes fantastic too. The peanut butter, jam and banana work really well together and the mango chips are a nice refreshing side to a thoroughly healthy snack.
So if you love junk food but are looking for a healthy alternative then give this a go: it’ll definitely rise to the challenge!
If you would like to try making banana hotdogs and mango fries follow the recipe below.
1 banana
1 brioche or hotdog roll
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
A good squirt of jam (I used strawberry)
A large mango
1 Take your brioche and cut it down the centre
2 Spread the peanut butter along the inside of the brioche
3 Place the banana in the brioche
4 Squirt some jam along the length of the banana
5 Peel the mango
6 Cut it into chip sized slices
7 Place the mango alongside the banana hotdog and serve
If you have got a weird recipe that you would like me to try email me. Alternatively, if you have tried making this recipe, why not let me know how you got on by leaving a comment in the box below.
Happy baking!
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