(Milton Buzon / Shutterstock.com)
Bananas are a favorite fruit and available fresh all year long. While the tropical fruit originated in Southeast Asia, today bananas are grown in 150 countries and are a delicious source of nutrients and health benefits, according to WebMD. That’s because the fruit is rich in potassium which is good for heart health, contains probiotics for better gut health, and is a source of tryptophan that can help your memory and mood.
The only drawback is that bananas ripen quickly, sometimes too quickly, especially if stored next to other fruit. But if your bananas get over ripe and cannot be eaten raw, you can always bake or cook with them. Here are five recipes for overripe bananas to enjoy.
Vegan Banana Bread
Banana bread is a moist loaf that can make a hearty breakfast or snack. But one of the best things is that it is made from over ripe bananas so there is no food waste. This vegan banana bread recipe from the blog A Vegan Recipe is simple to make and uses just five ingredients: bananas, sugar, dairy-free milk, coconut oil, and self-rising flour. You can customize your banana bread with nuts, cinnamon and even chocolate chips.
Banana-Oat Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Who doesn’t enjoy pancakes in the morning? This banana-oat chocolate chip pancakes recipe from the Forks Over Knives blog is a healthy breakfast and delicious enough to eat for dessert. You will need two ripe bananas, rolled oats, non-dairy milk, baking soda, chocolate chips, and strawberries to put on top of the pancakes. If you don’t have strawberries, you can substitute any ripe fruit or jam.
Banana Smoothie
Smoothies are delicious any time of the year and this recipe from Inspired Taste takes just five minutes to make. All you need is a ripe banana, half an orange, plain or Greek yogurt, and milk or water. But you can customize your smoothie with additional fruits or nut butter. You can store smoothies in an airtight container in your fridge for 24 hours or you can freeze it for later.
Blueberry-Banana Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a fantastic breakfast trend that are really good for you. This blueberry-banana recipe from Eating Well is healthy and delicious. All you need are ripe bananas, blueberries (fresh or frozen), coconut milk, chia seeds, maple syrup and salt. Combine all the ingredients except the berries and put the mixture into jars. Top with the blueberries, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy a hearty and delicious breakfast the next morning.
Sweet Banana Cutlet
Banana cutlets are a popular vegetarian dish in India. This recipe from the Nish Kitchen blog calls for plantains or green bananas rather than Cavendash which is the most commonly consumed banana around the world. These cutlets are made from cooked and mashed ripe plantains, herbs and spices, a binding agent and then molded into patties and fried. The recipe only takes 15 minutes from prep to table.
