Sweet and Spicy Roasted Plantains

I first was introduced to plantains by a friend from Mexico, they were a crispy fried bite of sweetness and saltiness.  Her family made them pan fried-- not once but fried twice.  I can recall they would slice them and fry them on each side and place each batch on a paper towel lined platter.  On the second time of frying they would smash them a bit with a spatula and then remove them and place on a paper towel again and this time sprinkle them generously with salt.  It was a divine treat and something unlike anything else I had tasted.  Yes, potato-ey but also sweet and the double frying made them crisp and really smooth inside (I guess from the smashing!)
I have also had sweet roasted plantains, all caramel-like from slow roasting and adding maple syrup.  These are a good dessert, delicious but too sweet for eating with a meal.  I would try these with toasted coconut on ice cream or greek yogurt. Oh and if there's extra liquid in the roasting pan--drizzle that over the top and add chopped roasted pecans.
But enough of all that, I'm presenting a simpler, and more health conscious, approach that would make a great starch side dish.  Keep in mind plantains in general are still high in sugar so they will get a nice golden color. 
Also, being as they are starchy and sweet I think pairing them with something like roasted broccoli works well.  I think these would be great with a stuffed poblano--a tofu mixture similar to what I had in the tofu stuffed peppers on this blog would work.  Or use just a grain like rice or quinoa and mix some grated queso fresco into that and fill the roasted poblano peppers and just bake to melt the cheese.
As for other alternatives--baked tofu, roasted chicken breast, tilapia or rainbow trout, or serve the plantain over a vegetable and seitan stir fry.

1 plantain, ripe (it will be dark brown)
1 TB olive oil
salt to taste
3 tsp granulated garlic
1/8-1/4 tsp ground ghost pepper* (if you like it spicy)
2 tsp smoked paprika (if you like it smoky)

Preheat oven to 450.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the plantain on the diagonal and toss with olive oil.  Season with whatever spice variety you prefer--or just salt.  Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for approximately 20 minutes, flip the plantain slices halfway through.