Pan Fried Plantains - Green + Yellow Plantain Recipes (Paleo + Whole30) (2024)

FAQs

Can I eat plantain on Whole30? ›

The Whole30 diet requires you to eliminate grains, dairy, wheat, rice, oats, and corn. Snacks that are Whole30-friendly include cantaloupe, nuts, plantain chips, and other foods. What is "Whole30," and is it a plausible health option?

But since the unripe plantains don't taste like much on their own, soaking the slices in salt water will help draw out their subtle flavors. Soaking green plantains can also add moisture to the naturally dry starch and help the tostones to crisp up nicely when they're fried.

Plantains are Paleo-friendly. Plantains are a foraging food that prehistoric humans likely had access to as a carbohydrate source, according to Loren Cordain, author of “The Paleo Diet”. They are also rich in fiber and higher in potassium than their close relative, the banana.

The keys to successful fried plantains are choosing ripe fruit and using the right pan, oil, and heat. A ripe plantain's skin should be almost black or, in some cases, have a dull yellow color with patches of black. In addition to being sweeter, the ripe fruit peels easily and cooks in no time.

The bottom line

Plantains are starchy and contain less sugar than bananas. They work well in savory dishes, while bananas are easily used in desserts or on their own. Both fruits are nutritious, whole foods and can be included as part of a healthy diet.

Plantains are a healthy food, but some ways of cooking them make them less healthy. Many plantain recipes call for frying. Because they easily absorb oil, this quickly raises the calorie and fat count per serving. Some other plantain dishes, such as those for desserts, include lots of added sugar.

Preheat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Peel plantains. Cut in half crosswise, then cut each half lengthwise into thin pieces. Working in batches, fry plantains in the hot oil until browned and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Coconut oil is the best type of oil to use when frying and gives them the most authentic taste and flavor. Place 8-10 plantain slices, cut side-down, into the skillet in a single layer. Cook plantains for 4-5 minutes per side, or until they are crispy and golden. Serve with salt, to taste, and enjoy!

Tostones, or fried green plantains, are the tasty, crispy, salty snack of your dreams! Though they might look intimidating, they're easy to make.

From this chart, you can see that plantains are like bananas with the nutrient content ramped up to 11. They have more starch, more vitamins and minerals, more everything. They also compare favorably to sweet potatoes – equally good for you, but containing slightly different nutrients.

Is plantain an inflammatory food? ›

Plantains also contain flavonoids and phenols—antioxidants that help control inflammation. Low-grade chronic inflammation in the body is thought to be an underlying cause of many health problems, including diabetes, cancer, dementia, and heart disease.

Cooked plantains are nutritionally very similar to a potato, calorie-wise, but contain more of certain vitamins and minerals. They're a rich source of fiber, vitamins A, C, and B-6, and the minerals magnesium and potassium. This hidden superfood warrants a trip your local grocery.

When plantains are green, they're very starchy and are best for slicing and frying to make chips or tostones – fried slices of plantain that are squashed flat and fried again. Green plantain can also be boiled and mashed to use as a starchy base, or sliced into stews as you would a potato.

The fruit needs only a few minutes on each side until the outside hits an appealing golden-brown color. Anything darker and the result will be too dry; anything less, and the plantains will remain hard.

When you're on Whole30, toast, cereal, and oatmeal won't fly. But that doesn't mean you have to eat a plate of boring scrambled eggs each and every day. These casseroles, egg cups, breakfast stacks, and more will have you looking forward to your morning meal—and full way beyond your morning commute.

Plantains are a type of fruit that's a staple of many diets worldwide—including the African Heritage Diet. This healthy fruit looks like a banana but is larger, starchier and less sweet than the smaller bananas that are breakfast and snack staples for many.

Nutritional differences between bananas and plantains

Bananas and plantains share many similarities in terms of their nutritional value but due to plantains' bigger size and firm flesh, they typically have almost double the calories, 220, and carbs, 57 grams, than bananas– 105 calories and 27 carbs per fruit.