Pancake Tuesday is only one week away! Watch our brand ambassador @nevenmaguire show you how to prepare these delicious Buttermilk Pancakes with a range of Simply Better toppings using our Handmade Toffee Sauce from @whatsforpudding.ie our Mixed Berry Preserve from @wexford_preserves and our Frozen Irish Strawberries from @clarkesfreshfruit Shop the Simply Better Collection in your local @dunnesstores
Simply Better Pancake Board Ingredients (Serves 4) 2 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs 2 Cups (250g) Plain Flour 2 Tbsp. Caster Sugar ½ Tsp Baking Powder ½ Tsp Baking Soda 2 Cups (480ml) Buttermilk Pinch of salt 40g Butter, melted plus an extra 10g for frying the pancakes To Serve: For the Blueberry Sauce: 100ml Simply Better Organic Grade A Canadian Maple Syrup 1 Punnet of Fresh Blueberries Juice and zest of half a lime 1 Tsp Cornflour, mixed with cold water (Optional) For the Mixed Berry Compote: 1 Bag of Simply Better Expertly Grown Irish Strawberries 1 Jar of Simply Better Handmade Mixed Berry Preserve 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract For the Caramelised Bananas: Simply Better Handmade Sea Salted Toffee Sauce 3 Bananas 100g Pecan Nuts Method: 1. Place all of the pancake ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before using. 2. Add the butter to a pan over medium low heat. Once the butter begins to bubble, add ⅓ cup (80 ml) of batter to the pan. 3. Cook until the top side begins to bubble and the bottom is golden brown. Flip the pancake and cook until the underside is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. 4. To make the blueberry sauce, add the maple syrup, lime juice, zest and blueberries to a saucepan and simmer over a medium heat. For a slightly thicker sauce, add the cornflour to the sauce and cook through for 1-2 minutes. 5. To make the fruit compote, add the frozen mixed berries, berry preserve and vanilla to a saucepan and simmer over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. 6. To make the caramelised bananas, heat the toffee sauce in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Slice the bananas and add to the sauce pan along with the pecan nuts. Toss to combine.
When you think of bananas, you probably imagine the ripe, sweet ones. But raw bananas—the unripe variety—are just as powerful when it comes to health benefits. Unlike their sweet friends, they’re packed with resistant starch, fibre, and essential nutrients that make them a game-changer for digestion, weight management, and overall health.
From supporting gut health to keeping blood sugar in check, the benefits of raw bananas are seriously underrated. In this blog, we’ll discuss the banana’s nutritional value, top health benefits, and the best ways to include it in your diet.
What Are Raw Bananas?
Raw bananas are merely unripe green bananas that are starchier, tougher, and less sweet than bananas when they are ripe. They’re popular in Indian, Thai, and Caribbean cooking, usually cooked into flavorful dishes, stir-fries, or even fried as chips.
What makes them special? It’s the amazing nutrients in raw bananas. The banana’s raw nutrition consists of:
Resistant starch – A special fibre that enhances digestion and aids in weight loss.
Potassium – Sustains muscle and heart function.
Vitamin C – Increases immunity and skin.
Vitamin B6 – Required for brain function and metabolism.
Magnesium – Aids muscle repair and bone development.
With so many nutrients in raw bananas, it’s little wonder that the benefits of eating raw bananas translate to numerous areas of health.
15 Health Benefits of Raw Bananas
Below are 15 awesome health benefits of raw bananas and why you should consume raw bananas daily:
1. Promotes Gut Health
One of the greatest benefits of raw bananas is that they enhance digestion. The resistant starch in raw bananas serves as a prebiotic, i.e., it provides the good bacteria in your stomach. These beneficial bacteria are responsible for food breakdown, nutrient absorption, and inhibiting bloating, gas, and constipation. [1] A proper gut microbiome also enhances immunity and inhibits digestive disorders like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
2. Promotes Weight Loss
When dieting for weight reduction, raw bananas are to your rescue. The fibre and resistant starch content of raw bananas keep you satiated for longer, doing away with unwanted snacking. As opposed to ripe bananas, which contain more sugar, raw bananas contain complex carbohydrates, which get digested slowly, ensuring constant metabolism. Raw bananas also suppress insulin surges, leading to fat storage.
3. Regulates Blood Sugar Levels
For insulin-resistant individuals or diabetics, raw bananas are a smart food choice. The nutrients in raw bananas contain resistant starch, which does not break down the carbohydrates immediately. This results in a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream, thus avoiding sudden peaks and dumps. Eating them regularly enhances the sensitivity of insulin, allowing the body to control blood sugar levels naturally.
4. Improves Heart Health
Raw bananas are rich in potassium, which is a mineral that assists in maintaining blood pressure. Potassium controls the body’s sodium to avoid high blood pressure and also lightens the workload of the heart. Raw banana nutrients also control healthy cholesterol levels by lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) and raising HDL (good cholesterol), lowering the risk of stroke and heart disease. [2]
5. Controls Digestive Health
If you have digestive problems, incorporating raw bananas into your diet can be magical. High fibre content ensures smooth digestion and reduces the risk of constipation. Meanwhile, their resistant starch behaves like a natural equaliser, calming the digestive tract and warding off diarrhoea and bloating. Additionally, they are rich in tannins, which possess gentle astringent characteristics that cure loose stools. [3]
6. Enhances Insulin Sensitivity
Insulin sensitivity refers to how your cells absorb insulin and utilise glucose to produce energy. Insulin resistance is a primary cause of Type 2 diabetes. It has been found that raw bananas contain resistant starch, and consuming them makes one more insulin sensitive, thus adding them to the list as an ideal product for a diet-balanced diabetic life. [4] Regular consumption is said to fight insulin resistance and support the improved control of blood sugar levels.
7. Strengthens Bones
Raw bananas are rich in magnesium, a mineral that promotes calcium absorption and bone density. Raw bananas are also beneficial for preventing osteoporosis and ensuring healthy bones during old age. Magnesium has the function of contracting and relaxing muscles and hence is required for bone and muscle health in general.
8. Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is the cause of most chronic conditions, such as arthritis, heart disease, and even cancer. [5] Raw bananas are a storehouse of antioxidants and vitamin C, which fight oxidative stress and reduce inflammation in the body. Raw bananas protect the body from cell damage by fighting free radicals, slowing down ageing, and making the body healthier.
9. Stimulates Brain Function
Raw bananas can also stimulate the brain. They contain vitamin B6, which is important for the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. These brain chemicals control mood, sleep, and thinking. Raw bananas can improve memory, focus, and overall mental health and cut the risk of neurological disorders. [6]
10. Helps Control Diarrhoea
Among the main benefits of eating raw bananas is that a raw banana helps relieve diarrhoea effectively. Raw bananas have high levels of pectin and tannins that work to remove excess water content from the intestines, compacting loose motions. Their electrolytes are also lost and have to be restored in the process. This explains why raw bananas have been particularly advocated as an unprocessed, organic remedy to deal with diarrhoea according to customary medicinal practices.
11. Keeps Kidney Stones Away
Kidney stones occur when calcium and other minerals tend to deposit themselves in the kidneys. The presence of potassium in raw bananas serves to prevent that by ensuring excessive calcium is being removed through the urine rather than deposited and forming stones. The magnesium in them also serves to maintain healthy kidneys and curb the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
12. Offers Long-Term Energy
Unlike energy-crushing candies, raw bananas are a long-lasting source of energy. Their slow-digesting complex carbohydrates deliver energy throughout the day. This is a perfect pre-workout food since it provides you with the energy you require without overdriving your blood sugar levels.
13. Supports Skin Health
Raw bananas are beneficial for your skin as well! Antioxidants and vitamin C in raw bananas fight off free radicals, preventing premature ageing, keeping your skin shining and firm, and triggering skin elasticity and healing due to the production of collagen. Mashed raw bananas applied as a face pack can calm acne, redness, and dryness.
14. Aids Muscle Recovery
If you are getting muscle cramps or pain after exercising daily, raw bananas can be your resort. Raw bananas contain magnesium and potassium, which have a significant role in repairing muscles by inhibiting inflammation and cramps. Sports athletes and health-conscious people eat raw bananas to quicken recovery after exercise and enhance the functioning of muscles.
15. Naturally Gluten-Free
Raw bananas are a very good substitute for normal grains for individuals suffering from gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Raw bananas can be converted into gluten-free banana flour and can be consumed as an excellent wheat flour substitute while cooking. Raw bananas are thus a good and versatile source of sustenance for individuals seeking to do away with gluten intake yet achieve the taste of scrumptious and healthy foods.
Ricotta adds an interesting texture here, and the saffron makes it wonderfully fragrant.
Serves 6
500ml/17 fl oz whole milk
1 tsp of saffron threads
5 egg yolks
200g/7oz sugar
250ml/8½ fl oz double cream
500g/1lb 2oz ricotta
2 tbsp honey, plus extra to serve
2 handfuls of toasted pine nuts, to serve
Bring the milk and saffron to a simmer and keep warm.
In a large bowl, combine the yolks and sugar and beat until pale.
Add half the warm milk to the egg mixture and whisk again until combined. Pour the mix into the saucepan along with the remaining warm milk. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a custard and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and whisk in the double cream, followed by the ricotta and the honey, until blended.
Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and a little extra honey.
Neven Maguire’s mushroom & leek strudel with madeira wine sauce
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
For the strudel
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
225g mixed wild mushrooms roughly chopped
1 small leek, washed and finely sliced
2 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp Madeira Wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley
4-5 sheets filo pastry, thawed if frozen (about 100g/4oz in total)
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves, to serve
For the madeira wine sauce
700ml beef stock
1 tbsp tomato purée
3 tbsp Madeira Wine
3 tbsp cream
Method
For the strudel
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/ gas mark 5.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook over a medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes until almost tender.
Reduce the heat, add the cream and Madeira to the pan and cook for another minute.
Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
Sauté for another minute until the spring onions are just tender and the liquid has almost completely reduced.
Allow to cool completely.
Unroll the sheets of filo pastry and place them all, one on top of the other, on a work surface.
Brush the top sheet of pastry with beaten egg and then spread over the mushroom mixture to within 4cm (1½in) of the edges.
Fold the short ends inwards a little to meet the mushroom mixture and then, starting with a long edge, roll up the pastry fairly tightly like you would a Swiss roll, keeping the mushrooms in place as you roll.
Place the strudel seam-side down on the parchment paper and brush it all over with the remaining beaten egg.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before carefully placing on a chopping board.
Cut the strudel into thick slices and arrange on warmed plates. Drizzle some sauce beside it and serve with some mixed salad leaves.
For the madeira wine sauce
Heat a heavy based saucepan, add the Madeira Wine and reduce by half.
Gradually whisk in the beef stock until smooth, followed by the tomato purée.
Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
Whisk in the cream, bring to the boil, season to taste and thicken with some diluted cornflower.
Brown scones are full of roughage and great for breakfast. And here is a good tip: you can make this mixture, shape the scones and freeze them. You can then cook the scones straight from the freezer to the oven – just give them an extra 5 minutes and make sure the scones are golden brown and well-risen.
Ingredients
Rapeseed or sunflower oil, for greasing
225g (8oz) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
225g (8oz) coarse wholemeal flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
50g (2oz) wheat bran
25g (1oz) butter, diced and at room temperature
1 tsp light muscovado sugar
300ml (½ pint) buttermilk, plus a little extra if necessary
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark 7). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and grease the paper with a little oil.
Sift the flours, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Tip in the bran left in the sieve and stir it in with the wheat bran. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it is evenly dispersed. Stir in the sugar.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk and golden syrup. Using a large spoon, mix gently and quickly until you have achieved a smooth, not-too-sticky dough. Add a little more buttermilk if necessary, until the dough binds together without being sloppy.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 2.5cm (1in) thickness and cut into rounds with a 6cm (2½in) plain cutter. Arrange on the lined baking sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and well-risen.
Serve with butter or lightly whipped cream and strawberry jam.
To serve: Basmati rice, cooked 1 red chilli, sliced (optional) 1 spring onion, sliced (optional)
Method Marinate the salmon fillets for 10 minutes before cooking. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add in the oil. Once hot, brush most of the marinade from the salmon and cook skin side down on the pan for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and pour the remaining teriyaki sauce into the pan and cook for 2 minutes on a low heat. Meanwhile, steam or boil the broccoli until al dente. Serve the salmon on a bed of basmati rice along with the broccoli and avocado. Drizzle over with remaining sauce and garnish with chilli slices and spring onion.4d
We have partnered up with @sabarestaurantdublin to create our new @simplybetterds Thai Food range. Watch our brand ambassador @nevenmaguire learn how to make this delicious Phad Thai with Chef Yo. Find the full recipe below and shop the ingredients in your local @dunnesstores.
Method: 1. Soak the noodles in cold water until soft, about 30 minutes, then rinse under cold water and keep to one side. 2. Bring a wok to a medium to high heat, add the oil, then the chicken and stir for 2 minutes before adding the prawns and stir for another minute. 3. Bring the chicken and prawn to one side of the wok. Add the remaining oil and the beaten eggs. 4. Stir quickly and mix the egg with the chicken and prawns. 5. Add the noodles, stir for 1 minute until the noodles start to soften. 6. Then add the sauce and stir well to cover the noodles. 7. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions. Toss them through quickly for just 30 seconds to make sure the vegetables remain crunchy. 8. Serve in warmed bowls with a sprinkle of the crushed peanuts, fried shallots and dried chillies.2d
Cabbage often—and unfairly—gets overlooked, with flashier veggies and protein-dense superfoods getting all the attention. But as far as nutritional food options go, the leafy green is pretty hard to beat. A staple in different cuisines (American coleslaw! Middle Eastern malfouf! Chinese suan la bai cai!), cabbage has been a longtime favorite amongst global chefs.
“Much of this stems from its versatility,” Woldy Reyes, chef and author of the cookbook In the Kusina: My Seasonal Filipino Cooking, tells Vogue. “We are seeing a growing trend of chefs utilizing it as a centerpiece, such as cabbage steaks, rather than as a side dish. The culinary appeal has never been stronger.”
“Its popularity stems from its ability to transform,” adds Tatiana Mora, chef of plant-based Michelin star restaurant Mita. “It can be eaten raw, fermented, steamed, roasted, or sautéed, consistently providing flavor, texture, and nutrition. I love it because it is a noble vegetable that grows easily, keeps well, and can be used almost entirely, making it perfect for a conscious and respectful approach to cooking.”
It’s accessible, easy to cook, and delicious. Here are all the reasons cabbage deserves a seat at your table (get it?) in 2026.
What is cabbage?
Cabbage is a leafy green that is part of the brassica plant family (which also includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and kale), says Amy Shapiro, RD, registered dietitian and founder of Real Nutrition. It comes in several varieties, but the most common ones you’ll see are green, red (or purple), and savoy. What makes cabbage different from other leafy greens is its density and durability. “It’s heartier, stores longer, and holds up well to cooking, fermenting, and shredding,” Shapiro says. “Nutritionally, it shares many benefits with other cruciferous vegetables, but it’s often milder in flavor and more versatile across cuisines.”
The Benefits
Besides its versatility, one of the main benefits of cabbage is its many nutrients. Shapiro lists other main benefits of the leafy green:
Supports Gut Health
Shapiro says that, because cabbage contains fiber and other compounds that support digestion, eating this leafy green can benefit the gut bacteria and boost gut health.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Cabbage is also rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients that studies have shown can reduce inflammation, she says.
Boosts Heart Health
Along with fiber, cabbage has potassium, which supports healthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Cabbage also has vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting (and bone health). Shapiro points to red cabbage in particular, which she says contains antioxidants called anthocyanins that studies have shown can improve brain and heart health.
Regulates Blood Sugar
Cabbage is low in calories and carbs while being high in fiber, which can help stabilize glucose levels in the body.
‘Give your pancakes a French, Australian or American twist with Rachel Allen’s delicious recipes’
“If you’re looking for a new take on this age-old recipe, try a crepe with banana, salted caramel and cream, wholemeal pikelet with blueberry compote, American pancake with maple syrup and rashers, or buckwheat blini with salmon and creme fraiche
The cooking of pancakes dates way back to prehistoric times where batters made from stoneground flour and water were cooked over fire. Sometimes leavened with yeast and other raising agents, pancakes can take on many slightly dissimilar guises. Essentially flat cakes, pancakes in France are thin and sometimes a little crisp around the edges as the name crepe would suggest: like the thin fabric with a wrinkled surface. Serve with this salted caramel sauce recipe, below, as well as banana slices and softly whipped cream. Once made, the sauce will keep for a month or more. It gets thicker in the fridge so just reheat to serve.”
Foodaware 