Banana Balance Brittle

A Woman’s Guide To Vibrant Health

This is the perfect snack or travel treat. It's naturally sweetened with bananas and dates, and the nuts and seeds are soaked, making it easy to digest. Leave it in the dehydrator until it is completely dry for a crunchy brittle, or take it out while it is still soft for a chewy snack. The herbs in this recipe help balance out the symptoms of menopause.

Shatavari is a cooling and nourishing herb for both women and men. It is traditionally used in Ayurveda for PMS, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, menopause, and endometriosis because it tones, cleanses, nourishes, and strengthens the female reproductive organs. Shatavari supports deeper tissue and builds blood to prepare the womb for conception and to prevent miscarriage. It also acts as a postpartum tonic to increase lactation and to normalize the uterus and the changing hormones.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

(use organic ingredients where possible)

• 1 cup pitted dates
• 4 bananas
• 3 tbsp freshly ground flax meal
• 1⁄2 cup almonds, soaked, drained, and coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup cashews, soaked, drained, and coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked, drained, and coarsely chopped
• 1½ cups dried unsweetened coconut
• 1 tbsp shatavari extract
• 1 tbsp baobab powder
• 1 tbsp white kidney bean powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp celtic sea salt

​### Directions

1. Soak the almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds together in a mixing bowl for 6 - 8 hours or overnight.
2. Drain the mixture and pulse it in a food processor outfitted with the "S" blade until coarsely chopped.
3. Transfer from the food processor to a large, clean mixing bowl.
4. Next, process the dates and bananas in the food processor until smooth.
5. Add in the flax meal, shatavari, white kidney bean, baobab powder, cinnamon, and salt. Process to mix.
6. Transfer the mixture to the large mixing bowl with the almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds and add the coconut.
7. Mix together. The final batter should still be chunky.
8. Evenly spread about four cups of the batter on a dehydrator tray lined with a nonstick sheet.
9. Score the sheet into cracker-sized pieces, and dehydrate it at 110°F (43°C) for about 8 hours, or until easily removed from the non-stick sheet.
10. Flip the brittle onto mesh screens (without non-stick sheets), and continue to dehydrate for 24 more hours, or until crispy.
11. Let the brittle cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month, or in the freezer for up to four months.