“One’s man’s junk is another man’s riches”
While this expression is deep on various levels, I’m using it today to discuss the beloved banana. Is it me or does this innocent fruit get such a bad rep? If I had a dollar for every time a client (or even just a friend) referred to bananas as ‘fattening’ & ‘high in sugar’ or acts shocked when I confirm that bananas can be part of a weight loss diet, I’d be a very rich lady. If anything I encourage more people to embrace bananas given the amount of nutrients a single serving packs in. While its impressive potassium content has become somewhat of public knowledge, did you know that bananas can be helpful in overcoming depression due to high levels of tryptophan? Bananas are also rich in pectin, a dietary fiber and natural detoxifying agent which is great for digestion. With so many overpriced health foods in the market, bananas are truly a superfood with out a super terrifying price tag ;).
Now going back to the cliché at the start of my post. While most people would be tempted to throw out overly ripe, black-skinned & mushy bananas, I personally couldn’t imagine anything better. If anything, you could even say such bananas only get better with age ugliness. Rather than throw out your bananas next time they ripen faster than you can eat, here are a few ways to salvage ‘em:
- Peel & freeze them to use in future smoothies instead of ice. Along with adding so much sweetness to your drank, frozen bananas will also bring a creamy component.
- Alternatively turn your frozen (and peeled) bananas into soft serve for a cold, creamy & dairy-free treat.
- Add them to pancake/waffle batter or even on top of your pancakes as they cook. They’ll help moisten the pancakes (or waffles) and add natural sweetness, so you might not even need to add maple syrup.
- Make some grain-free chia pudding to snack on and/or break the fast with. Eating omega 3’s has never been so delicious!
- Mash your ripe banana with a fork and stir it into your oatmeal while cooking for a cozy breakfast. Crank it up another notch & add in some cinnamon and peanut butter – you’ll be rushing out of bed way before your alarm goes off. Alternatively they are a great addition to Overnight Oatmeal
- Bake with ‘em…in fact you should only ever bake with overripe bananas for maximum flavor. Since they are Nature’s natural sweetener, you’ll end up needing to use less refined sugar. If you want to further lighten up your banana-flavored breads & muffins, try substituting some of the fat (e.g. butter/oil) with mashed bananas for moist deliciousness.
What can I say – When life hands ya overripe bananas, the options truly are endless ;)!
What do you do with overripe bananas?
Bananas- yay or nay?
What’s your favourite fruit?
Khushboo I had no idea that know that “bananas can be helpful in overcoming depression due to high levels of tryptophan” I love nanners and enjoy them in many ways – I often freeze the overripe ones and use in smoothies as well! Happy Monday to ya, my friend!
It’s amazing what a difference the food we eat can make to our moods!
i usually have bananas at hand but i may have overdone it. i love all t hese ideas though.
Haha no such thing as overdoing it with bananas ;)!
Love these ideas! Did the banana bread routine with overripe bananas just this morning but I can certainly use these suggestions, thanks for sharing!!
Mmm would love a slice of banana bread right about now, Ruksana :D!
I adore bananas! A life without bananas would be a sad life!
Overripe bananas – I use them to bake muffins, stir into oats or for my pancakes. All perfect! 🙂
Or just straight up with some peanut butter- all delicious!
I am all about bananas! They’re so versatile, as your post points out!
I use them in so many different ways on an almost daily basis – shakes, oatmeal, baked goods, etc.
How have you been making your breakfast shakes lately? As much as I’m going my go-to protein smoothie combo, I’d love some new ideas!