I have always enjoyed bananas. Growing up Dad taught us to eat a bite of banana with a Cheezit. Don’t ask me why, but it works and I like to eat them that way even today. These days though, I eat bananas in all forms from cupcakes and bread to smoothies and ice cream to just plain or covered in chocolate (my favorite).
I have always enjoyed bananas. Growing up Dad taught us to eat a bite of banana with a Cheezit. Don’t ask me why, but it works and I like to eat them that way even today. These days though, I eat bananas in all forms from cupcakes and bread to smoothies and ice cream to just plain or covered in chocolate (my favorite).
Bananas are a bit complicated botanically speaking. They are technically a fruit of the berry family, but grow as an herbaceous plant. The fruit varies in size, color, and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind, which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripe, just to name a few. They grow in clusters at the top of the plant. Most bananas are actually seedless. Look it up - the seeds in bananas are large and hard and would make it difficult to eat the fruit. Bananas are grown in about 135 countries with India and China leading production, according to FAO.org. The main use for bananas is in eating the fruit, but they are also grown and used to make fiber, banana beer and wine and as ornamental plants.
There are believed to be over 1,000 different types of bananas and I certainly don’t have the space for them all here but I wanted to mention a few of the more unusual ones. Plantains are popular bananas. They are not as sweet though and are used more as a vegetable than as a fruit. Some of the most unique bananas are Blue Java, aka the Ice Cream banana, so named for its blue skin and creamy, ice cream-like texture and taste; the Macabu, which is black when fully ripe with a sweet pulp; the Niño, which is mild and finger-sized, and the Burro banana, which has squared sides and a lemon flavor when ripe; Red Bananas have red peels with orange flesh; the Apple Banana is shorter than normal bananas but is more unusual for its taste-when eaten raw it tastes like apple, but when cooked it tastes like strawberry! Too bad we don’t live in a region where bananas are grown locally so we can try some of these varieties out!
The peel is also useful in many ways. They can be eaten. Use the peel to make tea or candy. You can even make pickles with the peel. Leave the peel on when making a smoothie and use the whole banana other than the stem. Ferment the peels and they form a type of vinegar. Use banana peel on a splinter to help get it out and aid in healing the wound. Use a peel on a scratched DVD or CD to fill the scratch without damaging the plastic finish. Use a banana peel directly on your skin to remove ink stains or soothe itchy insect bites, remove acne or under eye puffiness or even help with the appearance of scars. They can even whiten your teeth or remove a wart if you give it enough time. You can use banana peels to polish your shoes or silver or add some shine to houseplants. Banana peels are great compost for the garden. Use them to attract butterflies and, at the same time, repel aphids. Grind dehydrated peels or make a liquid ‘tea’ out of the peels to fertilize the garden. So many uses!
Bananas are versatile and good for you to boot. Enjoy the flesh and use the peel in numerous ways! Pick up some bananas this week and meet me in the kitchen for recipes using beautiful, bountiful bananas!
--- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Banana Bread ½ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 large eggs 6 large overripe bananas 2 tsps. pure vanilla extract 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda Pinch salt Topping: 2 Tbsps. brown sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper. In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla and mix well. Add cinnamon, flour, baking powder and soda and salt. Mix until combined. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle over batter in pan. Place pan in oven and bake 55 minutes or until skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan before slicing for serving while still warm.
Recipe from simplydelicious.com.
--- Banana Parfait
Cinnamon granola, more or less to taste 1 3.5oz box French vanilla pudding mix Milk called for on pudding mix Cool Whip 3-4 bananas 4 clear cups or glasses for serving Prepare pudding as directed on box. Allow pudding to set 5 minutes in fridge. Add 1 cup Cool Whip to pudding and mix well. Place liberal amount of granola in each cup. Spoon pudding into each cup over granola leaving enough room for more layers. Layer sliced bananas over pudding. Top with more pudding. Top with Cool Whip. Sprinkle with more cinnamon granola as garnish if desired. Return to refrigerator to fully chill for at least 2 hours. Serve chilled.
Note: While they can be made the day before, the granola will get soggier the longer they sit. It’s best eaten within 24 hours of making.
--- Banana Cookies
½ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 1/2 large bananas) 1 tsp. baking soda 2 cups all-purpose flour Pinch salt ½ tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground nutmeg ½ tsp. ground cloves 1 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In small bowl, mix mashed bananas and baking soda. Let sit 2 minutes. The baking soda will react with the acid in bananas, which in turn will give cookies their lift. Beat butter and sugar together until creamy, about 3 minutes. Pour banana mixture into butter mixture. Whisk together flour, salt, and spices. Add to butter and banana mixture, and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Dough will be soft. Use cookie scoop to drop onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes or until tops are browned. Allow to cool on pan 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe from simplyrecipes.com.
--- Chunky Monkey Cupcakes 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda Pinch salt 3 overripe bananas 2 Tbsps. milk 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract ½ cup butter, softened 1 cup white sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup chocolate chunks Ganache Frosting
1 cup heavy cream 1 cup chocolate chips Dried banana chips, one for each cupcake In small saucepan, heat heavy cream until hot, but don’t allow to boil. Place chocolate chips in small bowl and pour hot cream over chocolate. Let sit 3 minutes. Stir cream into chocolate until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Allow to cool until spreadable. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in small bowl. Beat butter and sugar together until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and mix again. Add bananas, milk and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix well. Add chocolate chunks and mix until just combined. Fill muffin cups ¾ full and bake 25-27 minutes or until browned and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan 7 minutes then remove to cooling racks to cool completely. Spread chocolate cream mixture over cooled cupcakes and top with banana chips.
Recipe from allrecipes.com.