Helping Kids and Families Cook & Eat Healthier.

Delicious Ways to Use Overly Ripe Bananas

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Bananas2SmallIt happens to the most meticulous of planners: those beautiful, firm yellow bananas turn to soft, spotted bananas seemingly the instant you get them home. Though biting into an overly ripe banana is unappealing, there are actually a few uses in which an overly ripe banana is the preferred option. As an added benefit, the extremely ripe bananas are easier to digest so if digestive troubles are an issue for anyone in your family, the very ripe bananas are ideal. So the next time you have a fruit bowl full of rapidly ripening bananas, try out these tasty uses for them.

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1.   Muffins and Quick Bread. Sure, you can use over ripe bananas in traditional sugary banana bread that should more truthfully be labeled “cake,” but over ripe bananas make a perfect addition to grain free quick breads and muffins as well because of the moisture they add to recipes. Look for a banana bread recipe that calls for almond flour or coconut flour instead of refined white flour.  Options like blueberries, walnuts, berries, or even carrots or apples can all be great additions to your banana bread base.

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2.   Smoothie. The creaminess of an extremely ripe banana is a perfect, dairy-free base to add to a smoothie. Because bananas get sweeter as they get riper, an overly ripened banana will also sweeten your smoothie with no added sugar. Add berries and dark leafy greens for an antioxidant packed smoothie. If you aren’t ready for a smoothie when your bananas start to get to ripe, just peel them and freeze them to have ready whenever the craving for a smoothie strikes.

 

3.   Ice Cream. You won’t believe how close the texture of a frozen blended banana is to real ice cream. And it couldn’t be easier to make. Simply peel and freeze your overly ripened bananas. Once the bananas are fully frozen, place them in a food processor until smooth. For even more fun, add in tasty additions like unsweetened cocoa powder, nut butter, or cinnamon.

The next time you see those telltale spots beginning to develop on your bananas don’t sigh thinking they are a lost cause, but instead lick your lips in anticipation of all the tasty ways you can use them!

 


Author: kimyoung

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