Tag Archives | coconut

Sweet Caribbean Flatbread

By Rob Carroll on July 22, 2017 in

I made this flatbread for my better half for dessert one night, mostly just to use up a couple bananas that were about to turn one degree too ripe in the next five minutes. What is it about bananas and ripeness? It’s as if they’re a hair underripe when you buy them, then by the time you get them home, they’re about to turn soft. When they get too soft, into the freezer they go, destined to be a smoothie, and even that bag is getting bigger by the week. One can only eat so many smoothies. Our life is a constant juggle of banana ripeness.

I’ve noticed that absolutely everyone has a very specific level of banana ripeness that they prefer. (Come on, you know you do!) Even our dog, who loves banana, won’t eat a piece if it’s even a bit too ripe for him. So confounding!

Anyways, my better half loves food that makes him feel like he’s on a tropical island: coconuts, bananas, mangoes, you name it. He’s always buying bananas. And one night after we had salads for dinner, I noticed him cruising around the kitchen looking for something sweet. What can I say, I know him!

I had been wanting to broil some banana slices for some time, so I offered to make him a little something special on which to slake his sweet tooth. He didn’t even know what was coming, but he readily agreed. I shooed him out of the kitchen and set to work.

Not that it was a whole lot of ‘work.’ In the time it takes to pre-heat the broiler, this flatbread recipe can be completely prepped up, and ready to go.

Someday I’ll invest in a crème brûlée torch to melt the sugar on the banana slices with a bit more precision, but until then, a broiler will have to suffice. No one should probably live in a home where crème brûlée is easy to make, and this would be one step closer to that world, am I right?

This flatbread comes close to the creamy sweetness of that classic French dessert, right down to the slight crunch of the turbinado sugar, but with a tropical edge. Needless to say, my sweet-who-loves-sweets loved it, and was even willing to share with me my latest flatbread creation.

If only all banana solutions were as quick and easy!

-Amy at Flatout

Matcha Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches

By Rob Carroll on July 2, 2017 in

I adore coffee and tea of any kind, so when it comes to new and unusual trendy beverages, I’m always rubbing my hands together with maniacal enthusiasm. Oh, there’s a new drink? Pass me a straw! Recently, I ordered a fancy green tea latte this week at my local haunt and LOVED it. Matcha, a finely ground Japanese green tea powder, is super hip everywhere right now and can be found in everything from candy bars to cocktails. In fact, my friend just brought me a green tea Kit Kat from Japan, so matcha is indeed getting more mainstream.

Just because it’s steamy outside doesn’t mean you have to strictly forgo your hot green tea lattes. Just make an icy treat instead! Matcha can be used in all sorts of delectable treats. I especially like it paired with chocolate of all kinds, from white to dark. The creaminess of the cocoa butter blends so nicely with the tannic properties of the matcha; it’s a matcha made in heaven.

Yeah, I just said that, and I’m not even sorry! Anyways, you may or may not already know that Foldit flatbread makes primo ice cream sandwich material, so if you think of yourself as a fancy dessert lover, this flatbread recipe is definitely for you. It’s got everything, down to the last coconutty, chocolatey bite.

Once the ice cream flatbread sandwiches are made and frozen solid, you’re ready to dip into the chocolate. Kids and guests alike can help out in this department, because it’s fun to do, so don’t be afraid to ask! Then pop ’em back in to chill in the freezer and they’re ready to serve just as soon as dinner is over; you’ll be the hit of the party this summer.

Matcha is high in chlorophyll and L-Theanine, so, like green tea, it can give you a little boost in energy, which makes these frozen treats the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

If you love flatbread like me, then chances are you like to experiment and get creative in the kitchen. So of course can play around with different ice cream or frozen yogurt flavors and a variety of crunchy toppings! I personally love white chocolate or a rich natural vanilla bean. (Not that a mint chocolate chip wouldn’t be good, or a mango…sigh.) Thank goodness I have a big tin of matcha, a whole bunch of flatbreads, and that summer lasts awhile.

Here’s to frozen treats made healthier with flatbread!

Happy summer,

-Amy at Flatout

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark

By Rob Carroll on June 15, 2017 in

Flatout artisan pizza crusts are so versatile. Not only to they bake or grill up the most delicious pizzas and flatbreads, but they can be used to make fabulous desserts to satisfy any sweet tooth, too. This flatbread recipe by Amy for dark chocolate peanut butter bark is a dream come true! We love Peanut Butter & Co. for this recipe. All the peanut flavor you love with 90% less fat, and a touch of honey sweetness!
Thanks, Amy!

Yogurt Chia Pudding with Cinnamon and Sugar Flatbread Chips

By Rob Carroll on October 4, 2016 in

A diagnosis of diabetes does not mean having to say goodbye to pudding anymore! Thanks to this delicious take on the standard recipe, this family-friendly dessert makes the perfect after school snack to curb those pre-dinner munchies. The combination of fiber and protein from the Flatout flatbread and yogurt will help to keep you feeling satisfied for hours. Swapping in the mashed banana in replacement of larger amounts of added sugar helps to reduce the overall carbohydrate content of the recipe. And the addition of cinnamon may provide a slight improvement in post-meal blood sugar levels. This easy to make recipe is sure to become a family favorite!

(Make the chips and this chia pudding the day before, so the seeds have time to absorb all the liquid, and you will love yourself in the morning when you pull it out for breakfast or that snack you’ve been craving.)

Chia seeds can be found in bulk reasonably online, or in box stores in your area. They’re that popular!

Almond Mango Foldit

By Rob Carroll on May 5, 2016 in

Three years ago, I moved back to my hometown to be closer to family, and I have to tell you, it’s been a tough adjustment. The city I moved from was slower paced and more affordable, and even though it’s sort of thrilling living in a much bigger city, it can get, well, a little overwhelming when you have to change your car registration over, or guard your parking spot after a snowstorm, or drive for at least thirty minutes to get anywhere. SIgh.

One of the great things about where I live, though, is that I can find almost any kind of exotic food or produce right down the block. Dried chorizo? No problemo! White anchovies? Quicker than you can say “fish!” And all these ingredients within walking distance makes my life more fun, for sure. This ups my flatbread game quite a bit.

In fact, one of the weirdest phenomenons come springtime is the city fruit truck vendors that park on the busy streets and sell bushels and boxes of fresh fruit out of their trucks on the sidewalk. They always have pretty great prices (I get to know my favorites) and they usually first appear in their traditional spots when the first daffodils bloom. They sell mangoes, watermelons, berries, bananas, plums, and pineapples as long as they can until the fall, then poof! They disappear for the winter.

Mangoes are the best from these vendors. I choose the Atalufo mangoes, the golden oblong ones (also known as champagne mangoes) that are pure heaven to eat. If the mango is really good, I have been known to eat the skin, too. This flatbread recipe is a little snack I whip up when the mangoes are in their peak, and plentiful. Don’t blame me if you become addicted to this tropical flatbread Foldit made with a spoonful of almond butter and a wedge or two of mango, some coconut, cinnamon, and lime. It’s easy, beautiful, healthy, and most of all, delicious.

Amy at Flatout