Bananas are one of the most common fruits lying in our kitchens, tables and fruit baskets. They are a great energy source and make wonderful pre-workout and post-workout meals too. Although the fruit is notorious for being extremely calorie dense, it is a false notion that all calories are bad calories. Bananas are really good for health and help prevent several diseases. But often, juggling from kitchen shelves to dining tables and then, back into the fruit basket – we are left with overripe bananas that we tend to throw away. What if we tell you, overripe bananas can be made into wonderful dishes?
Before we find out how many amazing dishes you can make with that brown, leftover banana of yours, let us try to find out what are the major benefits of eating the fruit.
1. Bananas are packed with potassium, that helps in maintaining the water levels of the body and aids the circulatory system in delivering oxygen to the brain.
2. The fruit is also rich in iron and helps stimulate the production of haemoglobin.
3. Being rich in soluble fibre, bananas help in regulating bowel movements.
4. It keeps the heart healthy, regulates blood pressure, reduces stress and also helps in losing weight.
After learning about these amazing benefits of bananas, it is only fitting that we do not let any of it go to waste. Let us see how to use that overripe banana on your kitchen counter, waiting for its turn to be eaten.
Banana Pancake – The best consistency of banana for making pancakes is actually overripe ones. They are easier to mash and usually have no lumps. The pancakes turn out really soft and do not need added sweeteners like sugar too.
Ingredients
- 2 overripe bananas
- 1 cup maida
- 2 drops vanilla essence
- 2 eggs
- Butter
- Maple syrup (optional)
Method
- Mash the bananas with a spoon.
- Add the eggs and mix well.
- Now, add the maida and vanilla essence.
- Heat up butter in a non-stick pan and pour in your batter.
- Flip and cook on both sides till brown.
- Serve with maple syrup.
Banana strawberry smoothie – Once blended in with strawberries, the classic banana smoothie gets a whole new taste and flavour. The brownie point, you ask? No one would ever be able to tell that the smooth, delicious smoothie is made from overripe bananas which was this close to being wasted.
Banana strawberry smoothie | Pexels
- 1 overripe banana
- 6-7 strawberries
- Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp honey
- Sliced strawberries for garnish
Method
- Roughly chop the banana and put it in a blender.
- Add strawberries and honey to it.
- Pour in greek yogurt, either plain or strawberry flavoured.
- Blend till the mixture becomes smooth and thick.
- Pour it in a glass or a deep bowl and garnish with strawberries.
Banana oatmeal cookies – if you think only perfectly firm, yellow bananas will give you delicious cookies, wait till you try this healthy cookie recipe. It is delicious, easy to bake and definitely healthy.
Ingredients
- 2 overripe bananas
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 cup butter
- 1 egg
- 1.5 cup maida
- 1 tsp baking soda
Method
- Mash the bananas and add the egg to it.
- Melt the butter and mix it with the bananas and egg.
- In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients – brown sugar, baking soda, oats and maida.
- Add the mixture to the liquid ingredients.
- Put in the vanilla essence and use the cut and fold method to mix everything.
- Pre heat the oven for 5 minutes.
- Use a baking tray, covered with butter paper to drop spoonful of the batter at appropriate distance from each other.
- Cook at 350 degrees for 19-20 minutes.
- Serve or store your banana oats cookies.
These are just 3 ways in which you can use overripe bananas. There are several other recipes and many other ways to put the fruit to use. You can add it to your breakfast bowl, make waffles out of it or bake banana muffins. Use up the bananas and cut the wastage of food, while eating healthy dishes.
