Cricket powder cinnamon banana bread

I lived in Mexico for some years, many Moons ago, twice. It was there when I saw for the first time fried crispy crickets (known as chapulines in Mexico) tacos seasoned with lime, garlic, salt, and chile. Cricket tacos are a traditional delicacy which is especially popular in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. You can find them as a street food optionat outdoor markets in Mexico (look for chapulines) or at speciality restauants in the U.S. (just make sure the crickets are for human consumption).

It was also in Mexico where I knew about some contests where the participants ate other insects including ants, crickets, and a few others out from a dish where the things were crawling. Yes, they were alive. But that’s another story. The point I am trying to make is that for a long time insects have been seen as an alternative source of animal protein. Why insect protein? Because farm-raised insects such as crickets, mealworms, and others are a sustainable solution to replace more traditional sources of animal protein. A cricket farm uses less energy, feed, land, and water than other livestock and also contribute less to climate change and environmental pollution.

I have to admit that insects as a sustainable animal protein alternative has been a hot topic in biohacking conferences I have attended and most recently also at Slush, a leading startup conference, where several sustainable protein options were popular. I find the topic of the future of food highly interesting as I examine the future of science and technology and the innovations we can expect to emerge as mainstream in the next five years. I found the recipe for the cricket powder cinnamon banana bread on the All Things Bugs website.

Cricket powder cinnamon banana bread

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of Griopro® Cricket Powder

- 1 teaspoon of baking powder

- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon of baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum

- 1/4 teaspoon of salt

- 3 mashed over-ripe bananas

- 1/4 cup canola oil

- 1/3 cup agave nectar

- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 180C or 350F.

- Lightly oil an 8.5″x 4.5″ pan and then line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

- Mix the Griopro® Cricket Powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, xanthan gum, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl.

- In another medium sized mixing bowl, mix the mashed bananas, the oil, agave nectar, almond milk, and vanilla.

- Combine all the dry ingredients with the banana mixture and then mix until smooth.

- Pour the batter into the baking pan, place into the oven, and bake for 45 minutes.

- Let the bread cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan.

Slice and serve with a cup of tea or coffee. Enjoy!

Griopro® premium cricket powder (you can buy it here) is exclusively made from farm-raised crickets for human consumption and milled into its finest form. The cricket powder goes beyond banana bread. Apparently, it’s suited for more food and beverage applications than any other insect-based product on the market. Frankly, I have never tried any insect-based food, not even in the form of cricket sprinkles on toast, although I am pretty sure this will become a trend in the near future. Would that be a thing? Of course! Since it’s high in protein, I could see this cricket powder added to smoothies or used to make a protein shake, added to porridge, and pancakes.

So there you have it, cricket powder is one of the latest trends in the future of food I have seen lately and surely coming to your nearest supermarket soon. Or at least, you can buy it online as I mentioned above.

If you are interested in the topic of food science, the future of food and sustainable food ingredients, and want to start your own insect farm, production, and processing of farmed insects for food consumption read Dr. Aaron T. Dossey’s “Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients: Production, Processing, and Food Applications.” This is the first and only book of its kind and promises to becoming the go-to book for anyone preparing for what the future generations and those conscious about choosing sustainable food choices will eat.