Ideas For Baking With Ripe Or Over Ripe Bananas

Bananas are the hidden heroes of the fruit world. Even when browning or damaged, they can be used in tasty recipes. Meaning you can eat straight away or as they ripen.  Use up ripe and overripe bananas with our top tips below:

Frozen chocolate banana bites

For off-the-scale yumminess, check out these frozen banana balls: Rolled oats, frozen banana, and cocoa powder combine to create chewy chocolate creaminess, and the cereal coating adds crunch.

These delicious cocoa-infused frozen banana ice cream treats get rolled in crunchy cereal to keep the ice cream from melting all over your fingers. Whole Grain Nugget style cereal is another good coating option.

Looking for more ways to harness the awesome power of frozen bananas? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Nice Cream, a step-by-step tutorial for making simple plant-based ice cream.

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup unsweetened plant milk, such as almond, soy, cashew, or rice
• ¼ to ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1½ cups your chosen cereal

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a food processor combine the first five ingredients. Cover and process until well

combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add oats; mix well.

2. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Place cereal in a small bowl.

3. Using the large end of a melon baller or a small spoon, scoop up a small chocolate ball and drop it into cereal. Roll ball with a spoon or your fingers to cover completely with cereal. Gently place the ball on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture and cereal.

4. Place baking sheet in the freezer until treats are frozen. Transfer treats to an airtight container. Store in the freezer.

Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins w/h Banana

These quick and easy blueberry oat breakfast muffins are a sweet, comforting way to start your day. Mashed banana and sweet potato puree take the place of eggs and added sugar in this vegan recipe. Picky-kid-tested and plant-based-mom-approved, these moist, low-fat, fruit-filled delights are great for any occasion!

INGREDIENTS

•  1 medium banana, mashed

•  One (15-ounce) can sweet potato puree

•  ¼ cup pure maple syrup

•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•  2 cups whole oat flour

•  ½ teaspoon baking soda

•  ½ teaspoon baking powder

•  ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•  ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

•  ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, sweet potato puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

 2. In a small bowl, combine the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Transfer this mixture to the large bowl of wet ingredient and mix together gently until well       combined. Avoid over-mixing to prevent toughness in the final product. Fold in the blueberries.

3. Spoon the batter into silicone muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Store the muffins in an airtight                  container.

Banana-Oat Chocolate Chip Pancakes

The combination of bananas and chocolate chips makes these healthy pancakes taste decadent enough to serve for dessert. Use a large non-stick griddle to prepare them in batches. If you don’t have strawberries, then get creative with other fruits, jams, or spreads.

INGREDIENTS

•  2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

•  ¾ cup unsweetened, unflavoured plant milk or water

•  1 cup whole-wheat or oat flour

•  ½ cup rolled oats

•  ¾ teaspoon baking powder

•  Pinch of sea salt

•  ¼ cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips

•  6 ounces (about 1 cup) strawberries, cut into halves, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk the bananas and milk in a medium bowl.

2. Whisk the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt in another bowl.

3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Heat a non-stick griddle over low heat. For each pancake, pour ½ cup batter onto the griddle and spread gently. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pancakes look slightly dry on top                and are golden brown on the bottom, and release easily from the pan. Flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.

5. Repeat with remaining batter, wiping off the griddle between batches. Serve hot with fresh fruit.