Let’s start today’s blog with some banana trivia! Did you know?
- The scientific name for banana is musa sapientum, which means “fruit of the wise men.”
- There is a museum in Auburn, Washington, dedicated to bananas—called the Washington Banana Museum.
- The banana plant reaches its full height of 15 to 30 feet in about one year.
- A man in India once ate 81 bananas in 30 minutes.
- If you peel a banana from the bottom up you won’t get the stringy things. In case you’re curious, those stringy things are called phloem (pronounced FLOM).
- The average American eats 27 pounds of bananas each year!
While I’ve never tracked the pounds of bananas I eat in a year, I’m guessing I might be right up there in consumption. I like them on Cheerios, on yogurt and even on ice cream (banana split, anyone?). A plain banana is a convenient mid-morning snack when my tummy starts rumbling. Plus, they come in their own “wrapper” which makes them lunch box-ready.
Bananas are filled with potassium, fiber and vitamin B6. They score a whopping 100 on the NuVal scale. The natural sweetness of ripe bananas make them a smart substitute for sugars in many baking recipes. Try them in hearty whole wheat banana pancakes or cookies.
Peek Into My Blender
I can’t talk about bananas without mentioning smoothies. In my opinion, bananas add a creamy texture to smoothies that can’t be beat. We make a lot of smoothies at our house. Yes, our blender works overtime! Often we have them for an on-the-run breakfast. Sometimes we split them into smaller portions and enjoy smoothies as a nutritious dessert. Below is a simple smoothie recipe for you to share with your family. It combines the creamy sweetness of bananas with the tangy goodness of strawberries. Wholesome rolled oats pack in more nutritional power for a keep-you-satisfied feeling. And the best part…they taste terrific!
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Strawberry-Banana-Oat Power Smoothie
- 10-12 fresh or frozen strawberries (NuVal 100)
- 1 banana (NuVal 100)
- 2 T old-fashioned rolled oats (NuVal 93)
- 3/4 cup skim milk (NuVal 100)
- or almond milk (NuVal score varies)
- 1/2 cup ice
Place all of the ingredients in a blender and process for approximately 30 seconds until smooth.
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Banana Ripening & Storage Tips
- Store your bananas on the counter for up to seven days. Most people like their bananas when the peel is yellow or yellow with a few brown flecks.
- If the bananas you buy are too green, you can put them in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight to speed up the ripening process.
- If your bananas get too ripe before you can eat them, don’t throw them away. Peel them and place in a plastic bag in the freezer to use later for smoothies or baking.
Have You Gone Bananas, Too?
How do you like to eat bananas? Does your toddler like them sliced and frozen as a snack? Or in fruit kabobs? LINK TO http://www.blendcentralmn.org/time-pressed-tuesday-quick-and-easy-grinch-kabobs/ Do you have a favorite banana bread recipe? Please share your ideas with us by posting a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.
Until next time, eat well!
Kelly