Do you have a bunch of bananas on hand but don’t know what to do with them? Do you need a recipe that is quick, healthy, and easy to make? Bananas are a popular fruit, but you can use them in more ways than just for desserts. Adding bananas to your desserts instantly adds a healthy layer of nutrients and creamy texture to your banana fudge, bread, cookies, and pancakes. We are including some other ideas on what foods to make with bananas and how you could use the rest of the banana for when it’s blackened or bruised! This list includes recipes for banana bread, banana pancakes, and smoothies!
Yummy and Healthy Foods To Make With Bananas:
1. Banana bread
Why use bananas in bread: a healthier alternative to most sweet quick loaves of bread because of the high fruit content and lack of fat, made with bananas, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup), 1 large egg, lightly beaten, 3 tablespoons butter, melted, and cooled slightly, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional).
Procedure
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork.
5. Add the egg, butter, vanilla extract, and nutmeg (if using) to the bananas; stir until combined.
6. Pour banana mixture over the flour mixture; stir just until moistened.
7. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan; smooth top with spatula or spoon.
8. Bake for about one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool for 10 minutes in a pan on a wire rack before serving.
2. Banana Muffins
Muffins are one of my favorite Foods to Make With Bananas. Why make banana muffins? a banana a day keeps the blues away, and they’re great for people on the go! Plus, bananas are a great source of potassium, vital for everyone – especially athletes – to maintain.
Ingredients: 2 cups flour 1/4 cup sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 bananas, mashed 1 egg 1/4 cup melted butter 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Procedure
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork until relatively smooth (but not entirely pureed).
5. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla extract; whisk to combine.
6. Pour banana mixture over the flour mixture; stir just until moistened.
7. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan; smooth top with spatula or spoon.
8. Bake for about one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Let it be excellent for about 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the bread. Then, all that’s left is to remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool before slicing.
3. Banana Pancakes
Why use bananas in pancakes: Bananas are naturally sweet, so you won’t need to add any sugar or artificial sweetener. You will get some added fiber that comes with the bananas, which your body requires to function correctly! Bananas are high in potassium and iron, making this recipe suitable for pregnant women since it provides nutrients that they need.
Ingredients: -3/4 cup all-purpose flour -1/2 teaspoon baking soda -1/4 teaspoon salt -1 large egg, lightly beaten with a fork -3 tablespoons brown sugar -3 tablespoons milk or water -1 tablespoon butter, melted (plus more for cooking), ripe bananas.
- Mash bananas in a bowl using a fork until you have 1/2 cup of mashed banana (about 1 large or 3 small bananas). Add and mix in: 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 egg, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the mashed banana.
- Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl: 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/8 tsp salt.
- Add wet ingredients (banana-butter mixture) to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well until combined. Do not overmix, or pancakes will be tough! Fold in chopped nuts if desired.
- Pour batter onto a hot greased griddle or pan, about 1/4 cup at a time. Cook pancakes over medium heat until bubbles form on the surface and the edges begin to brown. Turn pancakes and cook the other side until golden brown.
- Serve with sliced bananas and pecans (optional) and your favorite pancake toppings such as syrup, jam, berries, or powdered sugar.
4. Banana Smoothie bowl with fruit, granola, and yogurt
Smoothies are probably among the most popular Foods to Make With Bananas. Why use bananas in smoothies: adding frozen bananas to the mixer grinder will make the smoothie creamy. It helps create a thicker, creamier texture that allows your spoon to dig in and take more giant scoops of the creamy smoothness.
This will add natural sweetness to the bowl without increasing carb content with added sugars. Plus, it will make the smoothie cold and creamy. It doesn’t add much flavor but increases the richness of flavor, bringing out the sweet side of the fruits you add to it.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mashed banana, 3 tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter, 1 tablespoon honey (or other liquid sweeteners), 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional), a few ice cubes (if using fresh fruit instead of frozen), milk.
How to make banana fruit smoothie: add all ingredients to a blender & blend until smooth & creamy! Alternative: You can also use almond or soy milk if you are lactose intolerant.
How to include bananas in your daily diet:
- Try the Banana oatmeal muffin recipe with chopped walnuts or chocolate chips for a sweet side dish to any meal. Add bananas to your oatmeal for a healthy breakfast.
- Slice up some bananas and add them to your peanut butter toast or sandwich ● Use ripe bananas in place of apples when you’re baking apple pie.
Conclusion: bananas are an excellent way to make your daily diet healthy by including a fruit component that adds required carbs and nutrients to make it a wholesome food addiction. I hope you’ll enjoy these yummy and healthy foods to make with bananas!
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