As you saw in my previous blog about organizing a potluck, I had taken care of the dessert on the BBQ: bananas with chocolate in between what melts on the BBQ. Now everyone had eaten a lot of the buffet and there were other desserts too, so not everyone ate a banana, or some shared one.
But now I had a lot of bananas left. And then I thought vegans actually eat a lot of bananas. 😉 You can do a lot with it. An overview of how you can use bananas. Starting with the most obvious.
Bananas on the go
Bananas are very tasty just to eat. In addition, correct ripeness is often important for taste. Too green (not ripe) is not yet healthy, and being seriously ripe is often not as tasty as that. You can perfectly freeze ripe and overripe bananas and use it afterward. Read more about freezing bananas here.
I often take a banana with me on a walk or day trip. You have something healthy with you and it is handy that you do not need any packaging. If you put a banana in your backpack, always make sure it is at the top. If the banana is at the bottom of your backpack or has the chance to sink down, it will soon be completely brown and flat. Not tasty anymore.
Even better, if you have a separate pocket in your backpack at the top or at the front. This is a safer place to keep bananas when you are on the move.
Banana with oatmeal
This is something I often eat for breakfast. Plant-based milk slightly warmed, with some cinnamon, oatmeal, and banana. Sometimes I eat a nut mix, cocoa nibs or roasted sunflower seeds. One time I take berries, the other time I take banana slices.
Fruit Salad
Do you want a bit more fruit than just banana and a more varied list of vitamins and minerals? Then you can make a fruit salad. Make sure you use all the colors of the rainbow, that not only looks great, it is also healthier.
Banana in pancakes
You don’t need eggs for pancake, as you can see in this recipe for pancakes without eggs. But it is also possible in a different way, by crushing banana and by putting it in your dough.
Banana bread
You can eat banana bread for breakfast or as a tasty snack.
Banana pudding
You have vanilla pudding, chocolate pudding, and banana pudding. You will find a recipe for this in our book No Milky Way – vegan desserts (it’s in Dutch, if you would like the book in English, add a reaction below, maybe it’s coming later).
Fruit pie
Making something not so healthy (like a pie) a little healthier by adding fruit to it, it’s all a matter of balance. Many people like such a fruit pie, not just vegans.
You will find a recipe for this in No Milky Way – vegan desserts. (the book is in Dutch, if you would like the book in English, add a reaction below, maybe it’s coming later)
Banana split
What I always took as a child when we went to eat ice cream was banana split. Even as a vegan, I ate it several times, but with vegan chocolate sauce and soy ice cream, or homemade ice cream.
Banana ice cream (nicecream)
The same as the previous one? No, not at all. No banana on the ice, but the ice is the banana 😉 Mix or blend frozen pieces of banana without any liquid. And ready: a creamy scoop of ice cream. Optionally you can add nuts, chocolate, … under it. Or mix some frozen strawberries or berries with it.
Banana in smoothie and milkshake
Banana is delicious in all kinds of smoothies and milkshakes. That can be with berries, in a green smoothie or with cocoa powder, it’s all possible. Personally, I like a banana from the freezer to turn into a smoothie. My favorite smoothie: frozen banana, plant-based milk, cocoa powder, and peanut butter. I make this at least once a week, but usually more often.
Banana in savory dishes
In exotic dishes, you sometimes come across banana. Such as with a curry or in this Cuban bowl that I ate a while ago at Daantje food & drinks, a Dutch vegan restaurant.
Banana covered in chocolate
A tasty snack or nice treat is a banana covered in chocolate. If you want it extra fancy, you can roll it in crumbled nuts or vegan sprinkles.
Banana chips
You may know banana chips from the bags you can buy in the store, but you can also make it yourself. Cut the banana into thin slices and place them next to each other on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 80 degrees Celsius until they are dry. This can take between one and a half and two hours.
Banana on the BBQ
A sunny summer (or spring or late summer) requires a BBQ. It is nice if not only your main course is on the BBQ, but that you also use the BBQ for dessert. My favorite is notched banana with pieces of chocolate that melts nicely.
Recipe for bananas on the BBQ >>
You can find more BBQ inspiration here >>
Banana with filo pastry
Another tasty dessert. Wrap a piece of banana in some filo pastry, fry for a moment and ready. You can also serve it with a scoop of vegan ice cream.
Have you been able to gain some inspiration for what you can do with all those bananas at home? Then certainly leave a comment at the bottom of this page. Let us know what your favorite is.
