We are just returning from Beachbody Summit 2015 and had the most amazing time. More coming soon, but in the meantime, enjoy these delicious recipes–some of our favorites!

Plantains aren’t well-known in many places around the world, but they’re definitely one of the most versatile, delicious, and nutrient-dense “safe starches” you can find. Adding these Paleo plantain recipes to your diet might just what you were looking for shake up your usual routine.

Plantains look just like (bigger) bananas, but unlike their doppelganger, plantains are a starchy fruit that has to be cooked before eaten. They are treated as a vegetable in the tropics and form the basic carb in main courses in many parts of the world. Plantains are generally grown in Hawaii, Southern US, Caribbean, Central America, the Canary Islands, and California.

The best part is: plantains can be boiled, baked, steamed and even fried to make savory dishes. They are extremely versatile and can act as a vegetable, a starch and fruit, depending on the ripeness.

Plantains come in different colors. Black plantains–unlike bananas–aren’t rotten or spoiled and are sweet. Therefore, they can be baked or sautéed and eaten for desert. Green plantains are starchy, firm and aren’t sweet at all. They can be used to make savory stews, curries, and chips or cooked with pork for an easy crock pot dinner. Yellow plantains are a little softer (but still not sweet). They can be mashed like potatoes or served up as fritters with some bacon.

These safe starch members of the banana family offer many health benefits, such as improved digestive system from fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A (a powerful antioxidant), vitamin B-complex (heart health) minerals and potassium. Plantains can even improve health of your nerves and prevent certain eye disorders.

• 3 g of dietary fiber per 100 g
• More vitamin C than bananas – 18.4 mg per serving or 31% of daily required levels
• More vitamin A than bananas – 1127 IU or 37.5% of daily required levels
• Good source of B-complex vitamins including vitamin B6
• Minerals such as iron, magnesium, and phosphorus
• More potassium than bananas. 100 g provides 499 mg.

While they do offer a range of benefits and prove to be a ‘safe starch’, you can’t eat a green plantain raw. For this reason, here are a few amazing Paleo plantain recipes that will allow you to take full nutritional advantage of this unique food.

Fried Plantain Lasagna (pastelon from Mamas Latinas) – If you love lasagna, you will love this dish. The plantains are substituted for pasta in this Caribbean staple.

Plantain Rice & Beans (Inspiralized) – This recipe mainly uses green plantain as an alternative to rice. It can be made simply with a little tomato and beans, simmered with chicken broth and is amazingly delicious to eat.

Fried Green Plantains (Nom Nom Paleo) – If you love eating fried food, then you definitely have to cook this dish. It is amazingly crispy and tasty, like a modern version of the famous Desi dish called ‘Pakora or Pakodi’.

Sweet Plantain Guacamole (PaleOMG) – As the name implies, this recipe is used to make guacamole out of plantain. Not only is the end result incredibly amazing, but it is also amazingly tasty.

Easy Paleo Plantain Chips (Paleo Newbie) – Easy Paleo Plantain chips are potato-like crisp, but a whole lot tastier. They are made with green plantains and a little coconut oil and are rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins.

Perfect Paleo Pancakes (The Paleo Mom) – These pancakes are made from plantains and instead of being dense are so light and tasty to eat. They can be cooked quickly and are also easier to flip than normal pancakes.

Shrimp Ceviche with Tostones (PaleoLeap) – This recipe proves to be a good appetizer for dinner parties and is incredibly refreshing. It is also simple to prepare and has plantains in the tostones, which makes it a perfect Paleo dish.

Duck Fat Plantain Fries (South Beach Primal) – This recipe makes the most delicious and amazing fries you will ever taste in your life that are incredibly crispy and spicy at the same time.

Puerto Rican Plantain Sandwich (The Healthy Beast) – As the name implies, the sandwich’s main feature is the fried plantain. It is used as a substitute for bread in between which your choice of meat and vegetables can be added.

Easy Shredded Pork over Caramelized Mashed Plantains (PaleOMG) – Crockpot-cooked shredded pork over delicious coconut milk-spiked plantain mash is OMG good.

Plantain and Mango Beef (PaleOMG) – 3 of my favorite things in 1 dish! A little curry, sirloin, mango and plantains; what could be better?

I hope this inspires you to add these amazing Plantain recipes to your Paleo diet. Do you have a favorite way to eat plantains? Share in the comments below!