Healthy Carnival Food: Baked Brown Rice Mochi Funnel Cake with Grilled Plantains

Another baking fail gone totally RIGHT.

My sister and I were very upset upon discovering a few days ago that the weather was so sweltering hot that we couldn’t hike the community trail. To cheer her up, I decided to bake my brown rice mochi from Whole Foods so that we would make the cute little mochi balls they have at frozen yogurt stops.

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We basically followed the procedure just as instructed on the package and got this!




Again we were utterly disappointed upon looking at it, until I broke a piece apart and found how soft, bready and moist it remained on the inside despite its golden-brown crunchiness on the outside. Eating it made us utterly happier! I found that the mochi had a canning resemblance to funnel cake, hence the healthy brown rice mochi funnel cake recipe was born.

This recipe is gluten free, vegan, whole grain, oil free and SO quick and simple! All it takes is less than 10 minutes! If you want to devour your leftovers–which BTW you will have a lot of–bake in the oven at 350F for a few minutes.

The original:

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I made it even better by coming up with a healthy caramelized plantain recipe. Besides, my super overripe plantain was looking a bit sorry for itself and wanted to be eaten. Why else would I not use it to spice things up a little?

Tadaaaaaaaa! Here is it’s sexier younger sister:

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The aftermath:

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I topped mine with lemon Elli Quark and a cherry for a creamy and indulgent taste! Pretty interesting combo with the sourness from the lemon and sweetness from the plantains and Stevia. It feels like I’m at a carnival or at Six Flags!

RECIPE (funnel cake)

  • 1 package plain brown rice mochi
  • Toppings: Stevia, cinnamon, coconut sugar, brown sugar, etc.

RECIPE (plantains)

  • Less than half of one overripe plantain
  • 1 TBSP cinnamon
  • 1 TBSP Stevia or coconut sugar
  • A teensy splash of desired milk; I used coconut
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Coconut oil to spray the pan (I used less than a teaspoon but it depends on how good your pan is)


  1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
  2. Cut the mochi into cubes and scatter them on a baking sheet. You can dust them with a little Stevia, cinnamon, coconut sugar or even powdered sugar.
  3. Bake for 8-10 minutes until they puff up and become golden brown. Some pieces should stick together!
  4. Let the mochi cool. Set aside a single-serving portion and store the rest for leftovers in a closed container in the fridge.
  5. Heat a nonstick pan on medium-high heat and coat with a little coconut oil.
  6. Mix your cinnamon and Stevia in a small bowl.
  7. Slice your plantain into coins and coat each with Stevia and cinnamon.
  8. Cook on the skillet for 45 seconds to a minute and flip each until each side is well done.
  9. Take your mochi, sprinkle on the remaining cinnamon and Stevia, serve with plantains and other toppings and enjoy!

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What’s your favorite carnival/theme park food? I’ve always been a churro and ice cream person. Disneyland’s churros were literally the reason why I’d go there every other weekend. Screw the rides–gimme all ze donuts of Espagne!

2 thoughts on “Healthy Carnival Food: Baked Brown Rice Mochi Funnel Cake with Grilled Plantains

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