BANANAS— one of nature’s finest foods. Here’s why: A medium banana has around 88 calories and packs a powerful nutrition punch: 2.7 gr of fiber, NO fat, 1.2 gr of protein, 3 gr of vitamin A, 10 gr of vitamin C, .3 gr of vitamin E, and a goodly amount of the B vitamins.
Bananas are also an excellent source of potassium (a crucial nutrient to those with high blood pressure)—450 mg per banana! And they’re also high in magnesium and the amino acid tryptophan—also found in turkey (try a banana before bedtime if you have sleep problems). AND, to top it off, bananas are a natural antacid—they can soothe heartburn!
And of course, they’re a fun food to include in various recipes. To really get the most out of a banana, suit the color to the use. Is it tipped with green? Then it’s partially ripe. The pulp is firm, starchy, slightly tart. It’s ready to bake, broil, or fry—cooking brings out a different and delicious flavor.
Is your banana all yellow? Now it’s ready to eat or cook and use as an ingredient in baking. And if it’s flecked with brown spots, it’s fully ripe—at it’s best for eating, infant feeding, and as an ingredient in baking. Now it is sweet, mellow, thoroughly digestible and delicious in fruit cups, salads, desserts, and milk shakes.
Here are a few banana-oriented recipes to have some fun with:
Banana Shortcake
A nice change from traditional Strawberry Shortcake
Split homemade shortcakes into two layers
Place sliced bananas and whipped cream between layers
Top with more sliced bananas and whipped cream
Download this recipe.
Banana Butter Frosting
Yield: 2 ½ c
½ C mashed ripe bananas—they should have brown flecks on skins (1 to 2 bananas)
½ tsp lemon juice
¼ C butter (softened to room temperature)
3 ½ C sifted powdered sugar
Mix together bananas and lemon juice. Beat butter until creamy in mixing bowl. Add sugar and bananas alternately, a small amount at a time, beating until frosting is light and fluffy. Delicious on white, yellow, coconut, or banana cakes.
Download this recipe.
Bananas with Pineapple Sauce
Pineapple Sauce (Yield: 1 ½ C sauce)
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Dash salt
1 ¼ C canned unsweetened pineapple juice
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ C drained crushed pineapple
Mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Add pineapple juice gradually. Bring to boil and cook 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice and pineapple. Serve over sliced bananas either warm or cold. DELICIOUS dessert. We like to add a hefty dollop of whipped cream as well.
Download this recipe.
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