The first time this Grandma heard of Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread similar in texture to a peanut butter spread, was in 1988. Our eldest daughter came back from a “People to People” European teen tour after being introduced there to Nutella, and, a lifetime chocoholic (maybe due to the fact I fed her chocolate fudge on a spoon as a baby in 1973 before I knew better), was addicted. We searched for it then as only a few gourmet groceries carried this expensive foreign treat.
Now, in 2016, Nutella is mainstream and is in every supermarket. They even sell a Nutella To Go pack with dippable bread sticks. This Grandma made the mistake of buying them in bulk and putting them in the grandchildren’s lunch box the first week of school as a dessert treat. The Nutella To Go was gone, but the sandwich packed for lunch went uneaten. Their parents have now hidden the rest of the packs this Grandma purchased.
Yes, this snack is addictive. If you are apt to spoil the grandchildren, but keep it as an after school snack with a glass of milk, buy at Amazon.
When The Today Show, on August 26, 2016, showed a more healthy recipe made with Nutella, this Grandma paid attention. They called it Nutella Banana Breakfast “Sushi.” Looking for the recipe on the internet, I found that although the Today Show is the first to call this treat “Sushi” and make it a breakfast food, the recipe using Nutella and bananas is old and made with all different kinds of wraps and bread. It is listed on the internet as one of the top ten recipes of 2012, clearly recycled and updated on the Today Show. Take a look at this other old recipe on line, making this combination of Nutella and bananas a warm buttery cinnamon tortilla dessert.
But, for any grandma, it could make an easy breakfast food and one guaranteed for the grandchildren to eat. It is also so easy that there is time to make it WITH grandchildren for breakfast before school.
Here is the Today Show recipe found at their website:
“Ingredients:
1 large multi-grain tortilla or wrap (8-10 inches in diameter)
3 tablespoons Nutella
1/3 cup sliced almonds or toasted hazelnuts (or any combination of your favorite nuts and seeds)
1 large banana, peeled
Preparation:
Spread Nutella thinly on the tortilla. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Place banana on one end of tortilla and roll tightly. Slice into 1-inch thick pieces. Serve with chopsticks (optional, but fun!)”
This Grandma would spread the Nutella thickly, not thinly, but leave out the nuts. . .and the chopsticks. Who needs what could turn out to be weapons in the morning!
The Today Show even added Nutella Apple “Sliders” on line, for those grandchildren who prefer apples. Or make both! Here is the Today Show recipe.
“Ingredients
2 large apples (choose one red and one green for color)
4 tablespoons Nutella
1/2 cup granola
Preparation
Wash and core the apple using an apple corer or paring knife. Do not peel. Slice apples into 1/2-inch thick slices. Spread half of apple slices with Nutella and sprinkle generously with granola. Press the granola slightly into the Nutella. Top with the remaining apple slices and serve immediately.
Tip: If preparing in advance, keep the apples from turning brown by dipping the apple slices in a cup of cold water mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice, then pat dry.”
This Grandma may give up color and take off the apple skins to make them more interesting to grandchildren. Mine want their apple skins removed. And, arguably the combination of cereal and apples with Nutella make this a healthy breakfast.
There are even more breakfast recipes on the Nutella website.
Okay, I may be hardpressed to convince the parents to serve these Nutella recipes for breakfast, no matter how easy to make and inviting for grandchildren to eat for breakfast. But, these recipes using bananas and apples can still make for a wonderful after school snack.
Maybe now I can convince the parents of the grandchildren to take the many packs of Nutella this Grandma bought out of hiding!
Joy,
Mema
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