In my never-ending quest to use up the bananas before they go bad, I came up with this breakfast treat. The crumbles are simple, only a little sweet, and are ideal for breakfast topped with dollops of vanilla yogurt. Or, if you'd prefer, try the banana crumbles as a nutritious dessert and top them with a scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt or ice cream. The crumbles get their sweetness primarily from the bananas, which caramelize a bit as they cook. Oats in the crumbles provide a whole grain and toast up to crunchy goodness. I like to scatter walnuts or pecans on top of the crumbles, but you can omit them if you'd prefer. The banana crumbles also are quick to make. You can bake the crumbles in individual ramekins in the air fryer in 10 minutes, or you can bake them in your regular oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Don't have any ramekins? Just use a small dish (or two) that will fit in your air fryer and bake the crumbles for 10-15 minutes.
Banana Breakfast Crumbles -- Serves 6
4-6 bananas sliced into round pieces
1 cup of regular oats (or use quick oats)
1/4 cup of flour
2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of canola oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup of broken walnuts or pecans (optional)
Vanilla yogurt, frozen yogurt, or ice cream (optional)
Coat 6 ramekins (4-inches or so in diameter) with non-stick cooking spray. Divide the sliced bananas among the ramekins. In a bowl, mix together the oats, flour, dark brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. With a fork, mix in the oil and vanilla until the mixture is crumbly. Divide the crumble among the ramekins, sprinkling it over the bananas. Top the crumble with the nuts, if you're using them. Put the ramekins in the air fryer basket and cook the crumbles for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned (you'll probably need to cook the crumbles in batches, 3-4 at a time). Let the ramekins cool a few minutes and serve them warm topped with yogurt or ice cream.
