My children are crazy about bananas. But it’s only recently that I’ve tapped into the benefits of using the peels in the kitchen. Here’s what I learned about cooking and preparing banana peels:
Cook them well -
Admittedly, banana peels have a tough and fibrous texture - you wouldn’t want to chew them raw and the interior pith can be very bland tasting.
But cook them well, and the peels become starchy, soft and versatile for a number of dishes - from fudgy chocolate donuts to deliciously creamy ice cream and therapeutic tea blends.
The cooking and blending process breaks down the tough fibres present in the peels and makes the nutrients more readily available. Dishes such as banana peel tea (recipe 👇🏽) provide a good source of readily- available minerals - potassium and magnesium as well as the amino acid tryptophan (which can assist in a good night’s sleep).
Since my children follow a gluten free diet, I’ve found the peels to be incredibly useful in cooking (so much so that I now save, chop and freeze peels from every banana snack!) The peels work as a superb starchy binding agent in gluten free recipes (hello brownie and donut recipes👇🏽) and are a great addition to gluten-free flour blends.
Choose organic or ‘spray free’ -
The sprays used in conventional farming practices, can accumulate on the skin of the fruit.
Hence, look for certified organic or ‘spray free’ products eating the whole banana.
Ripen the skin + fruit -
Bananas are a cultivated form of plantain; a fruit by which the skin gets sweeter and thinner as it ripens.
The complex sugars are broken down into simple sugars (by a hormone called ethylene) during the ripening process. This makes the flesh and the peel easier to digest and with a sweeter flavour too.
RECIPE:
Fudgy Chocolate Banana Peel Donuts
Ingredients -
3 medium sized whole bananas (tips removed)
1 tbsp chia flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup coconut or rapadura sugar
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate baking powder
1/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup softened butter
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
🍩 🍩
Blend all ingredients together at a high speed in a food processor or blender. Blend well to form a smooth paste with no lumps!
Taste the mixture and check that it’s sweet enough (this will depend on the ripeness of the bananas). If necessary, add additional sugar and blend again.
Pour mixture into donut moulds lined with coconut or olive oil. Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool. Pour over frosting and enjoy!
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Tip: this recipe also makes a fabulous chocolate brownie. If you don’t have the donut moulds, just pour into a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
RECIPE:
Banana Peel Tea
This tea can be made with either the whole banana (skin + peel) or just the peel. My preference is always just the peel, as the flesh makes it very sweet.
In either case, remove the tips and chop the fruit into bite-size chunks. Pour over 1 cup of boiling water for every small-sized banana, and add a half teaspoon of cinnamon and ginger. Let it seep for 10-15 minutes, then serve immediately.
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