Tamika Sims, senior director of food technology communications at the International Food Information Council, recently had a chat with HuffPost in which she explained why you should wash bananas and other fruits and veggies with thick, removable skin. According to Sims, there is dirt and microbes on their skin that could find their way to the consumable part of the fruit or a vegetable.

“You should be washing produce that has a peel with clean running water, even if you plan to discard it,” Sims said. “This is a best practice in safe food handling to minimize the transfer of dirt or microbes that may be on the skin to the fruit on the inside that you plan to consume.”

It is also recommended to wash any produce that you intend to cut or prepare in another way. This is because the knife can push any microbes or dirt to the inside during cutting.

Experts agree that washing isn’t a perfect method that will keep you safe at all times, but that it minimizes the risk greatly.

The post Here’s Why You Should Wash Bananas Before Peeling Them appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Since we love bananas so much, most of us don’t buy one or two bananas. We often buy them in bulk, thinking we’ll manage to eat them before they turn bad. And then, after few days, we discover a pile of spoiled bananas in our pantry.

Why Do Bananas Turn Bad So Fast?

The reason why our bananas get spoiled so quickly is a gas called ethylene. During the ripening process, each fruit produces a certain amount of ethylene that helps them reach peak ripeness. But unlike most other fruit species, bananas produce more of this gas than they need.

The overproduction of ethylene causes bananas to become overripe, turn brown, and eventually become too spoiled to be eaten. This is the same reason why bananas sometimes cause other fruit and veggies to turn bad when stored in the same container or nearby.

Luckily, there is one simple trick that can help you make your bananas last longer.

The Solution

Since ethylene is released through the stem of the banana fruit, the trick is to wrap the steam in plastic foil. This will stop the gas from reaching other parts of the fruit and will allow the bananas to keep their quality for much longer. Storing them in the fridge with a wrapped stem will extend their shelf life even more.

The post This Simple Trick Will Help Your Bananas Last Longer appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

These yellow beauties have become popular worldwide over the years thanks to their convenient natural packaging, sweet taste, and healthy qualities. So, what is it exactly that makes bananas so perfect for snacking?

Well, they are incredibly portable thanks to their exterior skin that allows them to be naturally protected from bruising and damage. It’s super easy to pack a banana into a purse or a backpack and take it wherever you may go.

In addition, while being sweet and satisfying, these fruits also contain a ton of healthy components that work wonders for the human body.

Bananas are full of fiber, which helps digestive health, as well as natural sugars that provide an energy boost.

In addition to that, they contain loads of potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6, all of which are crucial for total body health.

What are you waiting for? Grab a banana and eat it today!

The post Bananas are the Perfect Healthy Snack appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Roasted Bananas

Roasting bananas is pretty easy. All you have to do is preheat your oven to 300°F and place the unpeeled, ripe bananas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a fork to pierce each banana a few times and let them bake for around 20 minutes. When they are done and cool, open the peels and scoop out the roasted flesh. You can eat it like it is or use it in recipes.

Baked Bananas

You can make banana chips by baking thin banana slices in the oven. For more flavor, toss the slices in lemon juice first. Bake them at 200°F for 2 hours, flip them with a spatula, then bake them for another hour.

Grilled Bananas

You can enhance the flavor of bananas by grilling them. It’s a quick process that requires an oiled grill and 3-4 minutes. Cut the bananas in half lengthwise and grill with the cut side down. Serve warm with ice cream.

The post New Ways to Cook Bananas appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Banana Bread

Instead of tossing your bananas out as soon as they start getting a little bit brown, get baking because they’ll bring delicious taste to your banana bread and muffins.

Smoothie

Bananas are one of the essential smoothie ingredients, so consider blending them with the rest of your favorite fruits and veggies instead to make this healthy drink.

Pancakes

You can use bananas as a pancake topping, but you can also stir them into the batter because they’ll keep your pancakes moist and serve as a natural sweetener.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another popular breakfast option that can benefit from your overripe bananas. Mash up your banana and add it to the warm bowl of oats to get the most delicious oatmeal.

The post The Best Ways to Put Overripe Bananas to Good Use appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 large bananas cut into pieces
• 3/4 cups oats
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups almond milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegan butter
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

Instructions:

1. Get a saucepan and fill it with the almond milk and oats. Wait for the mixture to start boiling, then set the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Don’t forget to stir it several times.
2. When the oats are done, include the cinnamon, butter, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, and salt.
3. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes and when it’s done take the saucepan away from the heat.
4. Now you can caramelize the bananas. Use a saute pan to mix the rest of the sugar and coconut oil.
5. When it starts melting, add the bananas as well. Let them cook for 3 minutes, then turn the pieces on the other side. Caramelize for 1 more minute.
6. Transfer the oatmeal in a bowl or plate. This recipe is meant for 2 to 4 servings. Add the bananas on top, and finish off with the pecans.

The post Start Your Day With Caramelized Banana Oatmeal appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 5 ripe saba bananas, cut lengthwise
• water
• 10 8-inch square lumpia wrappers, or spring roll wrappers
• vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sliced jackfruit

For the caramel coating:

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup white granulated sugar

Instructions:

• Put one lumpia wrapper on the kitchen surface. One of the square points should be facing towards you.
• Place the saba banana in the brown sugar, making sure that it’s covered with it.
• Put the banana on the lumpia wrapper, located on the lower 1/2 in a horizontal position. Add jackfruit pieces around the banana.
• Place the tip of the lumpia wrapper on top of the banana. Also, fold the tips from the left and right.
• Roll the wrapper very well to achieve the shape of a log. Use water for the top tip.
• Use 1/2 to 1-inch vegetable oil to fry the banana lumpia at 350 F degrees.
• Cook each batch for 1.5 to 2 minutes, then put them on a plate covered with paper.
• For the caramel sauce melt the sugar until it turns brown, then add it on top of the lumpia.

The post Banana Lumpia is a Delish Filipino Dessert appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

When you buy a bunch of green bananas at the supermarket, the assumption is that they’ll eventually ripen. And they usually do. However, we all know the occasional frustration of a batch of green bananas that simply will not ripen.

So, if you have a bunch of green bananas and you think that you have nothing to do with them, here are some ideas to use them in your kitchen.

Mashed Bananas

One great idea for using green bananas is to boil them, mash them, and add olive oil. This makes a delicious, starchy side dish that’s actually quite similar to mashed potatoes. You’ll be surprised at how good they are.

Banana Chips

You can also slice up green bananas into “chips,” fry them in oil, and dust them with salt in order to make a tasty batch of homemade banana chips. This is a common treat in lots of places, including Latin America.

Add Banana to a Veggie-Based Smoothie

If you’re going to have a “green” or veggie-based smoothie, don’t be afraid to add green banana for a touch of sweetness! The flavor won’t overwhelm the smoothie, but it’s a healthier alternative to adding more sugary flavoring ingredients.

The post Green Bananas? No Problem! You Can Do This with Them appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Here are some of my top tips for making a good batch of banana bread.

Use Overripe Bananas

This is one thing that is absolutely crucial for banana bread: do not use green or even yellow bananas! In order to produce the sweetness and smooth consistency that banana bread is known for, you have to use overripe bananas.

Go With Brown Sugar

Instead of white sugar, why not try brown sugar the next time you make banana bread? It yields a richer and more caramelized flavor that imparts a beautiful brown tone on the bread that looks downright tasty.

Put Some Milk in the Batter

You can ensure that your banana bread won’t be dry if you add a little bit of whole milk or buttermilk into the batter. The result will be a moist and decadent banana bread.

Walnuts are a Perfect Addition

Plain banana bread is good, but adding chopped walnuts into the batter and turning it into banana nut bread makes a special treat that you’re guaranteed to fall in love with.

The post Tips for Making Perfect Banana Bread appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Ingredients

• 5 bananas
• 24 oz of semi-sweet or dark chocolate to make it vegan
• Nuts, sprinkles, coconut flakes, or anything else for toppings

Recipe

1. First, start by peeling the bananas and cutting them in half.
2. Take a small wooden skewer or popsicle stick and put it in just about halfway into the banana.
3. Then, take the bananas and put them on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet and put them into the freezer for an hour or so, until they’re firm.
4. A few minutes before you pull the bananas out, put the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is all melted.
5. Then, take the bananas and hold them over the chocolate bowl, and use a spoon to cover the banana in chocolate, working quickly so it doesn’t harden too fast.
6. Take any toppings you want and cover the bananas right after, and then put the bananas right back onto the sheet.
7. Continue with all the bananas, and serve right away or put back into the freezer for later in an airtight container!

The post Frozen Bananas are the Healthy Summer Treat You Deserve! appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Tamika Sims, senior director of food technology communications at the International Food Information Council, recently had a chat with HuffPost in which she explained why you should wash bananas and other fruits and veggies with thick, removable skin. According to Sims, there is dirt and microbes on their skin that could find their way to the consumable part of the fruit or a vegetable.

“You should be washing produce that has a peel with clean running water, even if you plan to discard it,” Sims said. “This is a best practice in safe food handling to minimize the transfer of dirt or microbes that may be on the skin to the fruit on the inside that you plan to consume.”

It is also recommended to wash any produce that you intend to cut or prepare in another way. This is because the knife can push any microbes or dirt to the inside during cutting.

Experts agree that washing isn’t a perfect method that will keep you safe at all times, but that it minimizes the risk greatly.

The post Here’s Why You Should Wash Bananas Before Peeling Them appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Since we love bananas so much, most of us don’t buy one or two bananas. We often buy them in bulk, thinking we’ll manage to eat them before they turn bad. And then, after few days, we discover a pile of spoiled bananas in our pantry.

Why Do Bananas Turn Bad So Fast?

The reason why our bananas get spoiled so quickly is a gas called ethylene. During the ripening process, each fruit produces a certain amount of ethylene that helps them reach peak ripeness. But unlike most other fruit species, bananas produce more of this gas than they need.

The overproduction of ethylene causes bananas to become overripe, turn brown, and eventually become too spoiled to be eaten. This is the same reason why bananas sometimes cause other fruit and veggies to turn bad when stored in the same container or nearby.

Luckily, there is one simple trick that can help you make your bananas last longer.

The Solution

Since ethylene is released through the stem of the banana fruit, the trick is to wrap the steam in plastic foil. This will stop the gas from reaching other parts of the fruit and will allow the bananas to keep their quality for much longer. Storing them in the fridge with a wrapped stem will extend their shelf life even more.

The post This Simple Trick Will Help Your Bananas Last Longer appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

These yellow beauties have become popular worldwide over the years thanks to their convenient natural packaging, sweet taste, and healthy qualities. So, what is it exactly that makes bananas so perfect for snacking?

Well, they are incredibly portable thanks to their exterior skin that allows them to be naturally protected from bruising and damage. It’s super easy to pack a banana into a purse or a backpack and take it wherever you may go.

In addition, while being sweet and satisfying, these fruits also contain a ton of healthy components that work wonders for the human body.

Bananas are full of fiber, which helps digestive health, as well as natural sugars that provide an energy boost.

In addition to that, they contain loads of potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6, all of which are crucial for total body health.

What are you waiting for? Grab a banana and eat it today!

The post Bananas are the Perfect Healthy Snack appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Roasted Bananas

Roasting bananas is pretty easy. All you have to do is preheat your oven to 300°F and place the unpeeled, ripe bananas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a fork to pierce each banana a few times and let them bake for around 20 minutes. When they are done and cool, open the peels and scoop out the roasted flesh. You can eat it like it is or use it in recipes.

Baked Bananas

You can make banana chips by baking thin banana slices in the oven. For more flavor, toss the slices in lemon juice first. Bake them at 200°F for 2 hours, flip them with a spatula, then bake them for another hour.

Grilled Bananas

You can enhance the flavor of bananas by grilling them. It’s a quick process that requires an oiled grill and 3-4 minutes. Cut the bananas in half lengthwise and grill with the cut side down. Serve warm with ice cream.

The post New Ways to Cook Bananas appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Banana Bread

Instead of tossing your bananas out as soon as they start getting a little bit brown, get baking because they’ll bring delicious taste to your banana bread and muffins.

Smoothie

Bananas are one of the essential smoothie ingredients, so consider blending them with the rest of your favorite fruits and veggies instead to make this healthy drink.

Pancakes

You can use bananas as a pancake topping, but you can also stir them into the batter because they’ll keep your pancakes moist and serve as a natural sweetener.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another popular breakfast option that can benefit from your overripe bananas. Mash up your banana and add it to the warm bowl of oats to get the most delicious oatmeal.

The post The Best Ways to Put Overripe Bananas to Good Use appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 large bananas cut into pieces
• 3/4 cups oats
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups almond milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegan butter
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

Instructions:

1. Get a saucepan and fill it with the almond milk and oats. Wait for the mixture to start boiling, then set the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Don’t forget to stir it several times.
2. When the oats are done, include the cinnamon, butter, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, and salt.
3. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes and when it’s done take the saucepan away from the heat.
4. Now you can caramelize the bananas. Use a saute pan to mix the rest of the sugar and coconut oil.
5. When it starts melting, add the bananas as well. Let them cook for 3 minutes, then turn the pieces on the other side. Caramelize for 1 more minute.
6. Transfer the oatmeal in a bowl or plate. This recipe is meant for 2 to 4 servings. Add the bananas on top, and finish off with the pecans.

The post Start Your Day With Caramelized Banana Oatmeal appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 5 ripe saba bananas, cut lengthwise
• water
• 10 8-inch square lumpia wrappers, or spring roll wrappers
• vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sliced jackfruit

For the caramel coating:

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup white granulated sugar

Instructions:

• Put one lumpia wrapper on the kitchen surface. One of the square points should be facing towards you.
• Place the saba banana in the brown sugar, making sure that it’s covered with it.
• Put the banana on the lumpia wrapper, located on the lower 1/2 in a horizontal position. Add jackfruit pieces around the banana.
• Place the tip of the lumpia wrapper on top of the banana. Also, fold the tips from the left and right.
• Roll the wrapper very well to achieve the shape of a log. Use water for the top tip.
• Use 1/2 to 1-inch vegetable oil to fry the banana lumpia at 350 F degrees.
• Cook each batch for 1.5 to 2 minutes, then put them on a plate covered with paper.
• For the caramel sauce melt the sugar until it turns brown, then add it on top of the lumpia.

The post Banana Lumpia is a Delish Filipino Dessert appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

When you buy a bunch of green bananas at the supermarket, the assumption is that they’ll eventually ripen. And they usually do. However, we all know the occasional frustration of a batch of green bananas that simply will not ripen.

So, if you have a bunch of green bananas and you think that you have nothing to do with them, here are some ideas to use them in your kitchen.

Mashed Bananas

One great idea for using green bananas is to boil them, mash them, and add olive oil. This makes a delicious, starchy side dish that’s actually quite similar to mashed potatoes. You’ll be surprised at how good they are.

Banana Chips

You can also slice up green bananas into “chips,” fry them in oil, and dust them with salt in order to make a tasty batch of homemade banana chips. This is a common treat in lots of places, including Latin America.

Add Banana to a Veggie-Based Smoothie

If you’re going to have a “green” or veggie-based smoothie, don’t be afraid to add green banana for a touch of sweetness! The flavor won’t overwhelm the smoothie, but it’s a healthier alternative to adding more sugary flavoring ingredients.

The post Green Bananas? No Problem! You Can Do This with Them appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Here are some of my top tips for making a good batch of banana bread.

Use Overripe Bananas

This is one thing that is absolutely crucial for banana bread: do not use green or even yellow bananas! In order to produce the sweetness and smooth consistency that banana bread is known for, you have to use overripe bananas.

Go With Brown Sugar

Instead of white sugar, why not try brown sugar the next time you make banana bread? It yields a richer and more caramelized flavor that imparts a beautiful brown tone on the bread that looks downright tasty.

Put Some Milk in the Batter

You can ensure that your banana bread won’t be dry if you add a little bit of whole milk or buttermilk into the batter. The result will be a moist and decadent banana bread.

Walnuts are a Perfect Addition

Plain banana bread is good, but adding chopped walnuts into the batter and turning it into banana nut bread makes a special treat that you’re guaranteed to fall in love with.

The post Tips for Making Perfect Banana Bread appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Ingredients

• 5 bananas
• 24 oz of semi-sweet or dark chocolate to make it vegan
• Nuts, sprinkles, coconut flakes, or anything else for toppings

Recipe

1. First, start by peeling the bananas and cutting them in half.
2. Take a small wooden skewer or popsicle stick and put it in just about halfway into the banana.
3. Then, take the bananas and put them on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet and put them into the freezer for an hour or so, until they’re firm.
4. A few minutes before you pull the bananas out, put the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is all melted.
5. Then, take the bananas and hold them over the chocolate bowl, and use a spoon to cover the banana in chocolate, working quickly so it doesn’t harden too fast.
6. Take any toppings you want and cover the bananas right after, and then put the bananas right back onto the sheet.
7. Continue with all the bananas, and serve right away or put back into the freezer for later in an airtight container!

The post Frozen Bananas are the Healthy Summer Treat You Deserve! appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.