Banana Cooking Tips

HEALTHY COOKING TIPS FOR BANANAS

Wonderfully sweet with firm and creamy flesh, bananas come prepackaged in their own yellow jackets and are available for harvest throughout the year. Portable, sweet and creamy, bananas are a convenient way to add key nutrients to your diet. High in natural fruit sugars, vitamins B6 and C, and potassium, this fat-free fruit is a great high-energy snack and are a favorite food for everyone from infants to elders.

Buying And Storing Bananas

• Although you may buy bananas any time of year, they are generally most flavorful in the summer and fall. 
• Any banana you purchase should be fairly firm to the touch, and should never have a gray tint. (Grayish bananas have been refrigerated, which means they can’t ripen properly). Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
• Keep bananas away from avocados, apples and other fruits that release ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening. 
• Bananas may also be frozen. Whole bananas should be peeled and wrapped individually in plastic wrap, then placed in a freezer bag. Mashed bananas can also be frozen in freezer bags.

General Measures And Cooking Tips For Bananas

• If you’re worried about the fruit turning brownish, sprinkle it with a little lemon, lime, or orange juice (about one tablespoon per cup) as soon as possible after peeling. Frozen bananas keep for about two weeks. 
• Always peel bananas just before using, to help them keep their whitish color. When preparing a dish with uncooked, peeled sweet bananas, they must be dipped in an acid to discourage discoloration, such as citrus or pineapple juice. 
• Many cooking recipes call for mashed bananas. When this is the case, be sure to measure out the mashed banana, rather than just mashing a certain quantities of bananas. (Bananas vary greatly in size.) 
• In the Pacific, bananas are often used to replace rice in dishes. Simply cut the peeled fruit lengthwise, cover it with a little cooking spray, brown and mash. 
• Dried bananas chips are a favorite snack and much better than store bought bananas chips (which tend to be fried in fattening oils). To make your own, use green or just-ripe bananas. Peel and slice into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. If you wish to reduce browning, toss a little lemon, lime, orange, or pineapple juice over the slices. Dry the slices on a baking sheet in the sun and store in sealed plastic bags. 
• Choose slightly underripe bananas for cooked savory recipes and overripe ones for baked goods.To bake bananas, first peel them, then place them on a cooking sheet in the oven until browned. 
• For quick frozen banana treats, dip whole bananas in citrus juice and freeze on baking sheet. When frozen, dip in melted chocolate, cover each with plastic wrap, and return to the freezer. Take out in a couple of hours and enjoy. 
• Bananas are usually eaten raw, but they can also be fried and served with ice-cream, or mashed and added to cakes. Great with cream, maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, chocolate and yoghurt.