A simple fruit salad of cashews, bananas, and coconut chips packs a sweet, yet filling punch. This Monkey Salad is perfect for breakfast next to an egg or two.
First up. No, this salad does not contain monkeys. That would be gross. It contains ingredients that I imagine a monkey would like to eat. If it makes you feel better, you may call it Salad for Monkeys. Either way, make it.
Second, this is a simple, simple recipe. It’s basically a non-recipe. But, it’s super good and a daily part of my breakfast. Yes, really.
As you know already, I’m eating a weird diet that has me abstaining from sugar, grain, dairy, soy, and alcohol. With all the hidden fillers and additives in foods, it’s actually harder than the simple obvious reasons. Did you know most canned tuna contained soy?
I say weird with my tongue in cheek. I feel so good and not exhausted like I’ve been for the last three months. It’s not weird at all. It’s amazing.
Anyway, once I find something I like that has foods I can eat, I’m going with it, people. Like skillet eggs? Yep, having them every day. (Except when we’ve run out of greens.)
Monkey salad? Totally. Black coffee with coconut milk? Works for me.
In my former life, I drank my coffee with TWO teaspoons of sugar and about TWO tablespoons of cream. You can imagine the change, can’t you? Since I like sweet with my coffee, I eat this salad alongside. The bananas and cashews both have a little sweet to them that offsets the bitterness of the coffee quite nicely.
Now, a word about bananas. I am very picky about bananas. I do not like banana-flavored anything. That’s as gross as a salad made of monkey meat.
I like banana bread. I like fresh bananas. I like bananas in smoothies. I like fresh bananas whole, not sliced. I like things the way I like them.
And I most definitely do not like sliced bananas in things, especially not fruit salad. It gets all slimy. Have you noticed that?
But, when I started this diet I realized that I was going to need to get creative, bust out of the old, and find some new favorites. I decided that I could not add other fruit to this. That would increase the slime factor.
I also committed to eating it rather quickly before it could brown, or you know, slimy.
The end result? This fabulous and filling and altogether EASY salad to make. Prepare individual bowls to keep things nice and dry. Promise?
PS I find the coconut chips, or unsweetened flaked coconut at my local Sprouts, a health-foodish kind of store. If you store doesn’t have them, you can order them from Amazon. I’ve done that also.
Monkey Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ripe bananas peeled and sliced
- 1 handful roasted and unsalted cashews
- 1 handful coconut chips
Instructions
- Layer ingredients in a bowl. Do not stir. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
How do YOU like bananas?
Updated April 22, 2017.
Kathy
Sprinkle some cinnamon on. You’ll be glad you did!!
Kim
We have taken the whole 30 concept and paleo approach even though I know banana isn’t really compliant die to much fructose. Banana is so good for us just the same right.
We eat this salad with added almond butter and chia seeds with almond milk to make like a bowl of cereal. Eat about 4 days a week.
Curious as to why so many people don’t eat banana
Jessica Fisher
So glad you enjoy the salad!
Erin
I just ate this again – and I break the banana into large chunks bc slimy sliced bananas are very much not my thing as well. Thank you for posting this! It was so helpful during my elimination diet of 2015. I’ve been eating it on and off ever since while staying on a low- inflammation diet.
Jessica Fisher
So glad you’ve been enjoying it!
Wanda
Your mo key salad is downright addictive! And so filling that I didn’t have room for the egg or two you suggested. Brilliant!!!
Cynthia Settino
Can dried pineapple and other dried fruits be used in the Monkey salad? Also on the Whole30 diet can dark chocolate be used in the Monkey Salad
Jessica Fisher
You can use whatever you like, however for Whole 30 you’ll want to enjoy this only every once in awhile, and without chocolate. Due to the high carbs in Monkey Salad, it isn’t recommended as a daily Whole 30 treat.
Rebecca
I’m thinking of trying it with just the banana, cashews and a dollop of coconut cream…until I can get some chips/shredded. I’m starting another whole30 next week, and love the real coconut cream in my coffee (aroyo brand…nothing added).