Overripe bananas are often pushed aside once their peels develop dark spots and the fruit becomes soft. However, they can still be useful in the kitchen and are particularly suited to recipes that benefit from natural sweetness and moisture.
Instead of throwing them away, you can turn soft bananas into pancakes, muffins, smoothies, porridge and simple desserts. Using them this way can also help reduce household food waste.
One of the easiest options is banana pancakes. Mash one ripe banana and mix it into your usual pancake batter. Because overripe bananas contain more natural sugars and have a softer texture, they blend easily into the mixture and can add sweetness and moisture...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
They are also excellent for banana bread and muffins. The softer fruit can be mashed quickly before being combined with flour, eggs and other ingredients. Depending on the recipe, the banana’s sweetness may allow you to reduce the amount of added sugar.
For breakfast, try adding mashed banana to porridge or oats. Half or one banana can be stirred into warm porridge and combined with milk and a little cinnamon. Adding nuts or seeds can make the meal more filling.
Another practical option is a banana smoothie. Blend a ripe banana with milk or yoghurt and fruits such as mango, pineapple or berries. Freezing the banana first can make the smoothie thicker and colder without requiring as much ice.
Overripe bananas can also become a quick frozen dessert. Peel and freeze the bananas, then blend them until smooth. The result has a creamy, ice-cream-like texture and can be served with nuts, fruit or a small amount of peanut butter.
Mashed bananas can also be combined with oats and peanut butter to make a simple snack. This is particularly useful when you have only one or two bananas that are too soft to enjoy on their own.
However, not every overripe banana is safe to use. Dark spots on the peel and soft flesh are generally signs of ripeness, but bananas showing visible mould, leaking liquid or an unusual fermented or rotten smell should be discarded.
The next time bananas become heavily spotted, therefore, consider whether they can be used in a recipe before putting them in the bin.
A fruit that looks past its best for eating fresh may still be one of the most useful ingredients in your kitchen.
