Ah bananas …where did it go so wrong? It feels like only minutes since we brought you home but now you’re skulking there in the fruit bowl going all bad and smelly, reproaching us for our disorganised, wasteful ways.
Sound familiar? Don’t feel guilty, and don’t bin them! Act now - bananas freeze brilliantly for use in smoothies or baking.
· * Peel them first as the peel becomes messy to remove once frozen. Leave the bananas whole, slice them into discs, or mash.
· * If you cut them into discs, flash-freeze them on a baking tray lined with baking paper for an hour before transferring to an airtight container or freezer bag, removing as much air as possible.
· * For baking banana bread – leave them whole or cut in half. Place straight into a freezer bag.
· * You can also mash overripe bananas and put them in measured portions in small bags or ice cube trays.
· * Use within 3-6 months.
To thaw
Thaw in the fridge overnight at room temperature for 2 hours. Discard any liquid produced during thawing before using the bananas in a recipe.
Quick and easy banana bread
In minutes you can have a delicious banana bread in the oven. Follow this fool-proof recipe and never throw a banana out again.
INGREDIENTS
· * 3 bananas, peeled and mashed.
· * 75 g butter, melted
· * Half tsp baking soda
· * Pinch salt
· * 150g sugar
· * 1 large egg, beaten
· * 1 tsp vanilla extract
· * 200g plain flour
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Butter a 20 x 10 cm loaf tin.
Mash bananas with a fork in a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter.
Mix in baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.
Pour the batter into loaf tin.
Bake for 55 to 65 mins
To experiment:
Depending on taste, add blueberries, cranberries, pecans, chocolate chips, molasses, substitute half the flour for ground almonds.
