Bananas

Posted on February 19th, 2008 by TheHappyHousewife

I can’t believe it is already time for another Kitchen Tip Tuesday. My weeks are flying by. This week I have some banana tips. Bananas are cheap, healthy, and most kids like them. They are also versatile. You can eat them plain, put them on cereal, use them in desserts, smoothies, and of course banana bread.

When your bananas are getting spotted and no one wants to eat them here are some ways to use them.

Freeze the bananas

Freeze them with the skin on, when the bananas thaw they are very runny and mushy, I use these in banana bread.

Peel the bananas and freeze them in ziploc bags, I use these in smoothies.

Slice the bananas and freeze on a cookie sheet. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a ziploc bag in the freezer, my kids like these for snack. They also can be used in pancakes or desserts that call for sliced bananas.

Our favorite smoothie-
2 frozen bananas
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 orange (peeled to the white part)
1 apple (peeled and cored)
1 pear (peeled and cored)
splash of milk depending on how thick you like your smoothie
blend together and serve

Bake them

Banana muffins are a staple around our house, I make them at least once a week for lunch and try to freeze the extras for snacks.
Here is the recipe I use for banana muffins, I usually triple it- but I have six kids….

1 1/2 cups flour (I use fresh ground wheat)

1 1/2 teasp baking powder

1/4 teasp baking soda

1 shake of cinnamon

1 egg

2 mashed bananas

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup applesauce

Mix together and bake @ 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Cook longer for bread, shorter for mini muffins.

Next time you are at the store and over ripe bananas are on sale, stock up and freeze them for later.

The Happy Housewife

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Filed under: Food

« Closet Clean-Up Update Happy Birthday »

20 Responses to “Bananas”

Laura, on February 19th, 2008 at 8:58 am Said:

Don’t you wish every food had such great uses after it goes “bad”?!

Sonshine, on February 19th, 2008 at 10:21 am Said:

Good tips!

Do you have problems with your bananas turning brown when you slice them and stick them in the freezer? or even when you stick them peeled in the freezer ready for smoothies?

I usually peel and mash mine and stick about 1tbsp. of lemon juice in with them and stick them in ziploc bags already measured out for banana bread recipe. Adding the lemon juice I found that they didn’t turn brown on me.

happyhousewife, on February 19th, 2008 at 10:52 am Said:

I have never had bananas turn brown in the freezer when they are peeled. I have some in there now that are about two months old and they are still the normal white color. I have had them stick together in the ziploc bag though, so now I freeze them in two’s and three’s in smaller bags. Thanks for the lemon juice tip, that’s a great idea!
The Happy Housewife

Melissa, on February 19th, 2008 at 1:47 pm Said:

Great tips! I’ve heard about freezing them, but I’ve never had the nerve to see if it really works. I do now!

Also, the bday post on your daughter is precious!

Thanks for sharing.

Mrs. Taft, on February 20th, 2008 at 5:10 pm Said:

Thanks for sharing We love chocolate-banana milkshakes, so that’s our favorite frozen banana drink

3 Moms ~ Weekend Wreck | The Happy Housewife, on May 4th, 2008 at 11:18 pm Said:

[...] My oldest daughter and I had to run errands so that meant Dad and the other five were on their own for lunch. In our pre-frugal days this would have meant a trip to Chuck E. Cheese or some other insane place, but when we arrived home the kids were drinking fruit smoothies. [...]

Menu Plan Week of June 2nd | The Happy Housewife, on June 1st, 2008 at 11:23 pm Said:

[...] Sandwiches, muffins, smoothies, cut up fruit and [...]

3 Moms Menu Plans: Week of June 2nd | Happy to be at Home, on June 2nd, 2008 at 3:11 am Said:

[...] - Sandwiches, muffins, smoothies, cut up fruit and [...]

Menu Plan Monday: Week of June 9 | Happy to be at Home, on June 9th, 2008 at 3:55 am Said: