In the kitchen with Kelley: Monkey salad

I was under the weather last week, so my daughter volunteered to do the grocery shopping. As I helped her unload the bags from the car, I spotted coconut chips — something we don’t normally buy.

I asked her about them, and she told me she learned about a simple fruit salad from a friend who is doing a 30-day Paleo diet challenge. She was eager to try it. And after hearing how good it sounded, I was too.

Monkey salad is a three-ingredient, no-cook recipe that is perfect for breakfast or snack. It’s filling, a cinch to make and all-natural. Bananas are a favorite in the Martin house. And I’m thrilled about that because of their links to lowering blood pressure, reducing cancer risk and improving heart health.

Cashews are another great food for heart health; they have a lower fat content than most other nuts and are rich with antioxidants. The unsweetened shredded coconut is a good source of protein, fiber, iron and zinc.

A tip for anyone considering whipping up a batch: Don’t make it in bulk. The bananas, once cut, get mushy and brown pretty quickly. I recommend making Monkey Salad one serving at a time. It takes almost no time to prepare and is so much better when the bananas are firm.