Are you feeling a bit anxious and depressed? Boost your mood and kick anxiety to the curb with this irresistible healthy banana split desert recipe. Curated mindfully with wholesome and nutritious ingredients to help reduce anxiety and depression.
It is officially summer and I just crave banana splits. Once summer hits, all I can think of are banana splits for dessert every night.
But that is just not sustainable or healthy. Loaded with lots of sugar it tends to have me feeling more anxious. As studies have shown diet has a huge impact on overall mental health and gut health. And sugar is a big culprit.
So here is the banana split but BETTER . Better for your health, better for your gut, better for your brain, better for your mood. Every single ingredient is delicious and nutritious and simply….
IRRESISTABLE
Let me go over the ingredients and briefly explain how each ingredient benefits your health and mood.
Bananas– high in potassium and magnesium and both vitamins have been shown to help with anxiety and depression relief. Bananas are high in B-vitamins like folate which are essential to the production of serotonin, which can help improve your mood and reduce anxiety.
Strawberry– filled with great prebiotics for gut health and filled with lots of antioxidant to help repair damaged cells.
Pecans– keep your nerves calm and is filled with omega 3 fatty acids that help with reducing inflammation and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Walnuts– filled with omega 3 fatty acids that great for brain health and enhanced neurotransmitter function.
Dark Chocolate– has an abundant amount of polyphenols which are great for boosting calmness. It also has tryptophan which is an amino acid that helps build up serotonin, the happy hormone relieving symptoms of depression. Another ingredient in dark chocolate is theobromine. Studies have show that theobromine can have a positive, mood elevating effect on those that ingest it.
Peanut Butter– contains tryptophan, an amino acid that plays a key role in producing serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps stabilize mood and is known as the “feel good” hormone.
Bee Pollen– loaded with many antioxidants and has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress by increasing blood flow to the nervous system.
Serving Size : 2
Ready in: 20 minutes
Difficulty: 0
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana peeled and cut in half
- 6 squares of dark chocolate (cocoa content with least 70% to 100% cocoa)
- Strawberries ( any type of berry would be perfect)
- ¼ chopped pecans
- ¼ chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp bee pollen (optional)
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1 tbsp honey (optional for extra sweetness)
Directions
- Split banana in half
- Place chocolate in a oven safe bowl and place in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir often. Continue to stir until chocolate is melted and glossy. Don’t overheat. Remove and set chocolate aside to cool for a bit.
- Once chocolate has cooled, stir in the all of the peanut butter and stir in half of each: pecan, walnuts, strawberries and bee pollen. Mix all together in the bowl.
- Using a spoon, coat the banana with the entire chocolate mix.
- Drizzle the remaining strawberries, pecans, walnuts and bee pollen over the banana.
- Eat now for a mood boost or save for later by placing in the freezer for at least 3 hours
- Plan to enjoy your banana split within a week
Tips
- Drizzle honey or maple syrup after it’s frozen for more sweetness.
- Try to buy organic strawberries for maximum nutritional benefits AND sweetness.
- Always buy organic peanut butter. Peanut butter should have one single ingredient- PEANUTS- that is it.
- When choosing dark chocolate, remember the darker the better. Aim to get dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa or higher to reap the most nutritional benefit. Milk chocolate has no nutritional benefit and contain high levels of sugar that can lead to worsening anxiety.
- I love the 85% Lindt Dark Chocolate. They have got their dark chocolate nailed down!
I hope you try this recipe and please let me know how you feel in the comments below!
