I love baking with bananas because they provide a rich texture and sweetness that is simply the best. Let’s learn more about bananas, shall we?
What to make with ripe bananas
The sky’s the limit when it comes to using all those bananas for extra flavor, sweetness, and moisture. I love to add spotty bananas to smoothies (especially frozen for creaminess), overnight oats, and steel-cut oatmeal.
And, of course, bananas are delicious in lots of baked goods, like muffins, cookies, banana bread, brownies, and baked oatmeal.
Most (if not all!) of these recipes are toddler or kid-friendly, too! So the whole family can enjoy these tasty treats.
How to store bananas
Have a bunch of ripe bananas that you aren’t ready to eat or bake with and wondering how to store them? My preferred method of storage is to peel the bananas and store them in the freezer in a plastic bag or airtight container. You can also slice your bananas, or cut them in half, to make them easier to portion out when you’re ready to use them!
Health benefits
Despite what you may have heard, bananas are packed with nutrients! As a dietitian, they’re one of my fave snack foods with a smear of peanut butter, and (as you can tell from this post), I love including them in baked goods and other recipes. Even though bananas are a source of carbohydrates, they have a relatively low glycemic index (a measure of how much, and how quickly, a certain food increases your blood sugar levels) thanks to their fiber and resistant starch content. The bananas most commonly eaten in the U.S. are the Cavendish variety, and are rich in:
fiber potassium vitamins C and B6 manganese many other antioxidants and phytonutrients!
How do you ripen bananas quickly?
If you don’t have ripe bananas lying around, don’t worry! There are a few different options for quick ripening. Try placing them in a brown paper bag with a ripe apple to speed up the ripening process. Placing the bananas in a sunny, warm window can also make your bananas ripen more quickly. If you need ripe and sweet bananas NOW, you can always place the bananas on a cookie sheet in an oven set to 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes. And yes, overripe bananas are safe (and delicious) to eat! Dark brown, super spotty, even black bananas are usually the sweetest and best options for baking.
Can I use frozen bananas in baking?
Yes! I recommend fully thawing frozen bananas at room temperature, draining any excess liquid, mashing, and then measuring the amount of banana. If you use frozen bananas without thawing and draining them, they will add too much moisture to your final product. You may need to use a bit more bananas if you use frozen.
Nourishing banana recipes
