So many bananas - suggestions please
 

I accidently bought bananas three times this week, and I already have four in the freezer. Any suggestions on healthy things to do with bananas that are becoming progressively more black everyday.

My Housemate already thinks that the four in the freezer are taking up too much space. I was planning to make banana bread, but I'm avoiding cake at the moment.

No ideas except to make low-fat muffins and freeze them--

I just use whole wheat flour, 4 mashed bananas, a little applesauce, 2 egg whites..I don't use any butter or sugar...bake them at 350 degrees until they are firm..

Smoothies, low fat muffins, mashed in oatmeal, mashed and blended with a little no cal sweetener for a topping alternative for low fat pancakes or waffles or on toast, diced and mixed with yogurt, a fruit salad, mashed and mixed with a little light cool whip for a dessert. Don't know if any of these help but it's what I could come up with off the top of my head.

My children roll them in sugar and cinnamon (Splenda works) and put them on a popsicle stick. They freeze them and eat them as dessert. It is really good.

I tend to peel them and freeze them for smoothies. I'm not sure how 4 in the freezer takes up too much space? I can put 2 large bunches in 1 single gallon sized bag.

Thanks all:) I think they are destined to become smoothies. I didn't think they would taste the same after being in the freezer, but you have given me hope.

(And to be fair to my housemate, we have a tiny freezer, and the bananas have been there for quite some time)

blend them with low fat milk and youghurt and you'll have a healthy smoothie you can add honey also to make it healthier

You can make banana bread, but flour will add up on your calories, I usually substitute ground zucchini to flour, that makes less calories and tasted good as well. :)

Do you happen to have the exact recipe for this (ie. cup, tbsp - measurements)??? I seem to be baking-challenged when I need guesstimate. Your muffins look delicious so it would be much appreciated :^:

As for the bananas - I love cutting them up and putting them in my cereal in the mornings. Good brain booster! Maybe on some toast with peanut butter?

Maybe not the most whole foods approach to using my bananas, but some in my bunch are destined to become banana pudding. I use sugar free/fat free vanilla pudding mix prepared according to the package, and then I take a tupperware container and layer some crushed up vanilla wafers, banana slices, pudding, and then repeat. You can top it with whipped cream or cool whip if you want, but I usually don't bother. If you don't go too nuts with the vanilla wafers, it's not so bad calorie wise.

Here is a recipe for Banana-Blueberry-Cornmeal Muffins that comes out great and is only 100 calories per muffin.

Banana-Blueberry-Cornmeal Muffins

• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (from 3 large bananas, about 12 oz total)
• 1/2 cup skim milk or low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup Splenda (optional, depends on how sweet you want your muffins)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup egg beaters (or two egg whites)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (5 oz) fresh or frozen blueberries

Whisk together cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and flours. In a large bowl, stir together bananas, milk, honey, Splenda, lemon juice, egg beaters, and vanilla. Fold cornmeal mixture into banana mixture just until combined. Gently fold blueberries into batter.

Spoon batter into a muffin tin coated with cooking spray (you can use paper liners coated with cooking spray if you want), filling to the brims. Bake at 375 degrees until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins at about 100 calories per muffin.

I usually make a little frosting for each muffin using 1 tbsp nonfat cream cheese and 1 tsp Spenda per muffin.

I've also subbed 3 tbsp mini chocolate chips and 5 oz diced cherries for the blueberries. This increases the calories to about 120 per muffin.

I mix oatmeal (quick cooking), sliced banana and little bit of brown sugar and eat that for breakfast

I use banana breaad to make french toast.Yumm!!!!!!!

Hmmm, might have to make a big batch of banana bread and give it away, if you're feeling a little pressure to get them used up. I hate when I do that(buy too much fruit); fortunately, I don't have to share a frig with anyone. I also freeze bananas, and use mashed bananas in the place of oil in baking.

Hmmm, I bought 5 bananas at the fruit stand today on a whim because they were $0.19 a lb. I figured I would make banana bread for the family and just not eat any myself. But after reading this thread, I think I'll surprise my kids with banana strawberry smoothies with breakfast, and then I can have some, too.