As promised.......here is the recipe for a dish I made at one of my 21 day cleanse group cooking classes. Everyone loved this dish and have been asking for it so I finally had the time to sit down and type it all out for you.

The biggest challenge I hear from my 21 day cleansers and my other clients who are trying to keep a healthy diet in place is what do I eat during football season when I am going to football parties or having people to my home.

This is an incredibly delicious, easy to make recipe that will keep you from heading in the wrong direction by eating all of those unhealthy typical football season snacks. Although this too is fried we put a healthy spin on it by frying in coconut oil.

This dish can be made as a meal on its own or as an appetizer for multiple people.

What you will need:

2 large green plantains (make sure they are green otherwise they will be too sweet)

1 cups lentils (any type will do)

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped white onion

2 avocados

2 large tomatoes chopped and de-seeded

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

juice from 1 lime

1/2 chopped jalepeno pepper

sea salt

ground black pepper

garlic powder

dried oregano

cumin powder

How to make:

Plantains:

Peel plantains and slice both plantains into about 1/2 inch slices.

Fry in single layer in coconut oil in cast iron or stainless steel pan until just soft enough to smash.

Remove from pan and set on hard surface on top of parchment paper. Lay another piece of parchment paper on top and set a hard flat surface such as a lid, small cutting board etc. on top of parchment paper and smash each slice individually so that it looks like the picture above. Put back in coconut oil and fry on medium heat for a couple minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

Remove from pan and set on paper towel to soak up some of the oil and cool. Sprinkle with salt pepper and garlic powder.

Guacamole:

Slice avocados in half and take out pits. Squeeze each half out of skin into bowl. Smash with back side of a fork for a chunky version or for a creamier version use an immersion blender to cream avocado. Add in salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Mix in the fresh squeezed juice from the lime, 1 chopped tomato, the red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno and mix well.

Refried Lentils:

Cook 1 cup lentils in 3 cups chicken broth, oregano, 1 tomato, and white onion until soft. in a separate frying pan heat a little bit of olive oil and transfer cooked lentils minus any liquid to the frying pan. Cook on medium heat while smashing with a potato masher until you get the consistency of refried beans. Season with salt and pepper, garlic powder, and cumin to taste.

How to assemble:

Top each fried plantain with lentils, then guacamole, and a small cilantro leaf for garnish and serve on a platter for a nice appetizer.

Another version is to serve the fried plantains on a platter alone with two small side bowls with the guacamole and lentils to use for dipping.

And one final fun way for kids or messy guests is when smashing the plantains, form in a muffin pan to make a little cup and fill with the lentils and guacamole.

Enjoy this recipe and let me know how you like it or any modifications you tried by leaving me a comment below!

As always....In good health and happiness,

Brandy Augustine PhD.