Bananas are a somewhat unpredictable fruit…sometimes I buy very green ones and they last for days and other times I buy very green ones and they get overripe in a very short while.
If you’re not too particular about banana ripeness, this wouldn’t be a big problem, but I happen to have very specific ideas about when a banana is good to just peel and eat. It has to be just past being green…a light yellow, not too sweet, and still nice and firm.
Obviously, I can’t manage to only ever have a perfect supply of bananas at that stage of ripeness, so here are three ways I use up bananas that have moved past my idea of perfection.
1. Slice and top with nut butter
This is super easy, my kids love it, and the addition of peanut butter makes a slightly-too-ripe banana palatable even to me.
2. Slice and Freeze For Smoothies
I don’t really like the taste of overripe bananas in smoothies, so if I notice that I’ve got more perfectly ripe bananas than I’ll be able to use quickly, I slice them, freeze them on a cookie sheet, and use them in smoothies.
Using frozen bananas along with other frozen fruit makes for a delightfully thick smoothie.
Also, frozen banana slices can be blended (I actually do that in my food processor) with nothing other than a bit of milk to make something resembling soft-serve banana ice cream.
3. Make Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
The lovely thing about banana muffins and banana bread is that they can disguise bananas that are good for nothing else in the world (except maybe the compost bin).
So when I have bananas that are too soft to be spread with peanut butter and too overripe to slice and freeze, I make these banana chocolate chip muffins and my children rejoice.
Do you have a favorite way to use up bananas? Share it in the comments!
Christine Rush
Friday 13th of September 2019
Yes , my Niece she does it slices the Bananas return to Freezer and use them in smoothies ! If the really ripe she bakes and uses them in muffins !
Erika
Thursday 22nd of March 2012
Well it isnt food but... The inside of the banana peel is known to whiten teeth... I find myself 6 days away from a formal ball and needed a quick solution. So 4 days in, I'm beyond satisfied. My pearly whites are... Well... White lol and although my teeth are not straight, I'm not afraid to smile! Who knew!?! Apparently the internet. So if this sounds like I'm trying to make u munch on banana peels, I'll just skip that part and just say look it up lol. I also learned that peels can shine leather shoes! Look it up lol. Now I'm gonna go make banana chocolate chip muffins, banana pudding and bread...thanks for the recipes!!
Valerie
Wednesday 8th of February 2012
I made these today...I used 1/2 whole wheat 1/2 oat flour, but I let it soak with 3/4 c yogurt for about 30 minutes (it makes it less dense and softens the bran). I used coconut oil instead of veggie oil (not good), and replaced half the sugar with sucanat and used carob chips instead of chocolate chips. So good! You couldn't taste the coconut oil. I forgot to add the vanilla but they still were really good. They are so light, barely a muffin, more like a cupcake.
Sarah
Monday 12th of September 2011
This is one of my favorite recipes. It's super easy and fast because there's no flour and flour's companions (baking soda, salt, etc.), and there are only a handful of ingredients. Secretly, I skip the dates and put in chocolate chips, and often, dried cranberries. It's a fantastic way to get a cookie fix without too much unhealth.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/healthy-banana-cookies/detail.aspx
Mitzi
Thursday 4th of August 2011
I actually hate bananas, but my kids like them and I can eat them if they are really, really firm, but not green, and if I'm not pregnant and throwing everything up anyway. One "dessert" I found my kids like is sliced bananas topped with melted peanut butter with a little bit of chocolate. I just microwave a few spoonfuls of PB (crunchy makes it more desserty) with some chocolate chips or pieces of dark chocolate (usually something I find in the bottom of a candy dish). Once it melts I drizzle it over the slices and give them forks--chocolate peanut butter bananas. :)