The Mystery of the Red Bananas

 In case you weren't aware, the lovely yellow bananas we all love are under attack.  Considering the sheer amount of banana love out there, this is pretty concerning.     

I decided to expand my banana horizons and try red bananas.  Allegedly, they are not susceptible to the same fungus as our beloved Cavendish bananas and thus will be around for years to come.  

Plus, they are pretty!  

The problem started after I brought them home.  As I am always hungry, I tried to peel one for a snack.  I tugged at the top, squished at the bottom.  The banana would not open.

Finally, I got a knife and sliced it.  Rather than meeting squishy banana flesh, I found a rock solid interior.  It was downright crunchy.  One sniff told me it was astringent and decidedly not ripe.

Ok, I thought, that's fine.  I'll wait a few days.  Perhaps I bought a "green" bunch but couldn't tell because they're red.  No sweat.

A few days went by- I tried again.  No dice.  The banana was still hard.  (TWSS!)

So, I googled.  According to a comment on Chow, "They don't give strong visual cues, but they do get a little softer as they ripen, and the skin will become more tender, yielding easily to pressure from a thumbnail. Try one every day or so and you should develop a sense of when they're ready."  And Melissa's Produce said pretty much the same thing.  Apparently these beauties have a slight raspberry flavor, although I'm pretty sure I will never taste it.

It's been a week now of watching and waiting- being tormented by their steely presence.  They're mocking me, daring me to throw them away only to ripen in the trash.

I will not give in!  They have become more than a banana to me- they are a challenge!  My personal science experiment.

And they will sit on my counter until they ripen and I get to try their sweet glory or they are ambushed by fruit flies.

Whichever comes first.

Smashed Banana Sandwich

I've been running a lot lately, training for the Run to Remember Half Marathon at the end of May. I'm relatively new to running, but have been exercising pretty regularly for the last few years. I made the connection last winter that more exercise = less stress so I've been pretty hooked since.

My favorite pre- and post-run fuel is bananas + peanut butter + toast. The combination gives me all the carbs, protein, and fat that I need to power through a tough workout.

Plus, it's delicious.

It won't, however, give you enough energy to stay awake after you run 5 miles and then go to a 1:15 minute power yoga class- napping is a must.

Pretty proud of my five miles this morning- my longest run in weeks. I won't lie- there was some walking going on. Still not sure I understand how someone can keep their body running for more than 3 miles at a time- how is that even possible??

Anyways, this version is a bit fancier and probably a little too exciting to be eaten before a workout. No one likes a gurgly tummy while exercising. Ouch.



To make this version, smash up one ripe banana with a couple tablespoons of your favorite nut butter. Toast bread, smear smashed up banana on the toast and top with apple slices. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for flair and an added anti-inflammatory bonus!

Another combination I tried this week- toast topped with pumpkin pie spice almond butter (my one true love), apple slices, and sharp cheddar. Broil to melt the cheese and devour. YUM!

Banana Nut Bites

This banana nut bites are soft and full of banana flavor, kind of like petite banana breads. Sweetened only with agave nectar and real banana, they are a treat you can feel good about eating.


Start by combining whole wheat flour, toasted pecan pieces, baking powder, and salt.



In a separate bowl, whisk together an egg, vanilla, and agave nectar.



Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. With a lot of low-fat baked goods, stirring too much can toughen them.


It's ok if they're a few streaks of flour around the edges.


Grease two cookie sheets. I drizzled a couple of teaspoons of canola oil on each cookie sheet and used a paper towel to fully coat each sheet. This step is necessary because there isn't enough fat in the cookies to keep them from sticking.


Using two table spoons, drop 2 inch scoops of dough onto the cookie sheets. The cookies don't spread much, but ample space is needed for heat circulation.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes rotating the cookie sheets half way through the cooking time. Cool on a wire rack.



Banana Nut Bites

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup mashed banana (about 1 medium)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Grease two cookie sheets.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, pecan pieces, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, agave, mashed banana, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Drop 2 inch scoops on greased cookies sheets. Bake ~15 minutes, rotating the sheets half way through the cooking time, until golden and cooked all the way through.

Brown- butter banana cake with chocolate chips

I'm blogging on location today.


Exciting, no?


Location is...my backyard! It's particularly inviting this time of year, as the mosquitoes are still sleeping and the lilac bush is in full bloom.




Gilligan, my four year old labradoodle, is co-blogging with me today and by co-blogging, I mean bonking my leg with his ball for me to throw.

Chives

Raspberry canes

Japanese Bleeding Hearts

I took a few photos of our backyard bounty- Nick's already started our garden with compost from our own bin! Yay homemade dirt! So far we've got cauliflower, romaine lettuce, celery, and broccoli planted. I cannot wait to eat homegrown food all summer long!

If only we could grow bananas...

Check out this banana cake glamour shot complete with stunt banana! (Just kidding- it's a real banana.)

This bundt cake kicks butt or bundt or whatever. It totally rocks. My stepmother gave me the all chocolate edition of Fine Cooking and I've been baking my way through it. Since I've been trying my best to agave-ize & health-ify a lot of my baked goods, this one seemed particularly adaptable. Banana adds a lot of moisture that might have been lost by reducing the amount of butter. And bundt cakes take very kindly to agave subbing in for sugar.

This cake stayed moist and tender even a couple of days after making it. If you eat it hot, however, you get to enjoy the oozing chocolate and that is a very fine experience.


PS- I love these pictures, but I'm sure my neighbors thought I was a crazy lady as I posed cake and a banana on my front porch. The things I do for this blog...

Brown-buttter banana cake with chocolate chips
Adapted from Fine Cooking

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup applesauce
2/3 cup agave nectar
3 large eggs
1 cup finely mashed banana (~3 medium bananas)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon butter extract (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate chunks


Preheat oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan and set aside.

Over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, let it continue to cook and darken until it's a golden brown color. Watch this closely as it happens fast. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the agave nectar, eggs, bananas, vanilla, & butter extract. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Once the butter has cooled, add it to the wet mixture and whisk to combine.

Add in the flours, salt, and baking soda. You could whisk them separately in a bowl, but I just dumped them in. Using a wooden spoon, stir gently until just mixed. Add in the chocolate chunks and stir to distribute.

Spread batter into bundt pan and bake for 40 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.