Blackened Bananas

Bananas ripen in stages, and each stage is good for something. In spite of the common concept that bananas are best eaten raw, there are plenty of other uses for this wonderful fruit.

 

Green bananas

If a banana is yellow with some green along the seams, it’s not quite ripe. The meat is harder than the truly ripe stage, and has less flavor.

 

Ripening bananas

An all-yellow banana, most especially those that have turned a more golden color, are at the stage a lot of people refer to as “perfect” for just peeling and eating. The flavor is richer than the green banana, and more mellow.

 

Slightly over-ripe bananas

Dark patches or spots on a banana are a signal to some that a banana is almost ready to ‘go’. The meat looks just like as it does in the all-yellow skinned banana. This is still a good eating stage, or for slicing and frying up like a plantain.

 

Blackened banana

Then there’s that stage where the stem is shriveled and black, and the banana is slightly smaller with most of the skin gone dark. This stage of the banana is often just disposed of, but that’s a mistake.

 

Banana peel showing blackening, and spots of over-ripe fruit still on the inside.

The most flavorful banana stage is actually after the skin has turned mostly dark, or “blackened”. It’s very soft, like room temperature butter and easy to mix without turning chunky. It’s great in cookies, breads, cakes, custards, and other recipes calling for raw banana. It is at it’s sweetest and still adds nutrients and fiber to your cooking.

The blackened stage may be peeled and frozen, whole or premashed, for use later.

Bananas can also take the place of oil in some recipes. Two medium bananas may be substituted for oil in most cake or cookie mixes, boxed or scratch.

 

–Ann Cathey

2 Ingredient Pancakes?

Can this be for real? Apparently it is. The “two-ingredient pancakes” recipe has been bouncing around the internet for a while, and I finally decided to try it. It fits into my dietary requirements, and I wanted to find out if it fit my palate as well.

Apparently, it did. These pancakes are super quick and simple to whip up, and are tasty enough that they don’t need any other ingredients – not even syrup!

Ingredients:
1 banana
2 eggs

For a larger batch:
2 bananas
3 eggs

 

Whole peeled banana and second banana mashed with a fork.

Mash your banana(s) in a mixing bowl. *Add any spice(s) at this time and mix well.

 

 

Well mashed bananas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crack eggs into a separate bowl and whisk until yolk are broken and the mixture is slightly frothy.

Add eggs to mashed banana(s) and mix thoroughly.

 

 

Heat griddle to 300F, and butter lightly.

 

Spoon batter onto hot griddle, allowing each puddle of batter to spread to about 4″ across.

 

Cook on first side until firm enough to flip, about a minute and a half. Cook on second side for same amount of time. 2-3″ pancakes may only take one minute on each side.

Turn pancakes carefully onto a plate as they can be quite delicate.

Butter them up and chow down!

*A dash of cinnamon adds another dimension to this recipe. I imagine that a tiny dash of things like nutmeg, cocoa powder, white pepper, ginger, and even cardamom will give each batch something special. You can also use protien powder or peanut butter powder, but do so sparingly so as not to foul the liquidity of the mix. I plan on a lot of experimentation in the future.

If you are so inclined, you may add a bit of baking soda for fluffier pancakes.

As there is no wheat or other flour in this recipe there is little to hold them together before they start cooking. Be sure to keep them small so they maintain their integrity. You may need to experiment a bit (like I did) to figure out just how to handle them on the griddle.

If you want to add nuts or chocolate chips, make sure they are chopped small and only add them after the batter is spooned onto the griddle, and before the flip.

When the recipe says “serve hot” beleive it. The banana sweetness is definitely in the forefront while they are hot. The egginess, in both flavor and texture, become predominant as the pancakes are allowed to cool. Be sure to have your add-ons, such as butter, syrup, yogurt, or sliced fruit, ready to go!

Using this batter in a crepe pan should also result in super thin, delicate crepes that may be rolled around your favorite ingredients. As mentioned above, this recipe results in tender, delicately textured pancakes.

Because of the ingredients, or lack thereof, these pancakes are paleo, gluten-free, dairy free, grain free, and have no added sugar.

Enjoy!

— Ann Cathey

Add Color to Your Diet

Break away from the American tendency to eat brown and white. Meat and potatoes are great in moderation, but you need something more to help maintain your health. Add color to your diet! When grocery shopping, be sure to put at least five different colors of produce in your cart. This is a handy way to ensure nutritional benefits for the coming week.

Some examples:

Avocados
Avocados are a creamy source of heart-healthy fats, as well as non-animal proteins.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain lycopene, the antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red coloration. Lycopene may help lower the risk of certain types of cancer. Tomatoes are also a great tasting source of vitamin C.

Oranges
Speaking of vitamin C, oranges are chock full of that immunity-boosting vitamin.

Grapefruit
While not a favorite on everyone’s list, grapefruit is not only a vitamin C bearing citrus, some research suggests that it may help to lower “bad” cholesterol.

Bananas
Everyone knows that bananas are a good source of potassium, but did you know they are also full of B6, a vitamin that helps your body convert food into energy?

Cantaloupe
Sweet and juicy, these melons are high in vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy eyes.

 

Use these examples to make wise choices in the foods you purchase and eat. Adding color to your diet will add not only appealing visuals, but an assortment of vitamins and minerals!

–Ann Cathey