Flashfood: 7 Ways to Use Overripe Bananas

The Flashfood App enables frugal grocery purchases while also promoting sustainability by diverting food that was destined for the landfill. This app links consumers looking for grocery deals with stores looking to sell nearly expired food. And it’s also a great way to try out new foods and challenge yourself to experiment with recipes! Find out about the app here: Introduction to Flashood

Flashfood Find: Box of bananas

Regular Price $10.00
Flashfood Price $5.00
Total Savings $5.00

Menu Inspiration

Bananas are such a fantastic thing to have in the freezer. Grocery stores will often sell overripe bananas at a discount: Walmart often has them in their $1/$2 produce bag section; Loblaws chains often has them in bags at 30% off; and, of course, you can find them on Flashfood.

Bananas are great because they are so versatile, which is what inspired this list of easy things you can make with your bananas!

1. Smoothies

There are so many varieties of smoothies that use bananas. I’m a sucker for anything chocolate, so I suggest starting out with this Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe from The Spruce Eats.

2. Banana Biscuits

This recipe is from a classic cookbook Company’s Coming Muffins & More.* I think it’s one of the first cookbooks I owned and has served me well through the years!

Banana Biscuits Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups, All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp, Granulated Sugar
2 tsp, Baking Powder
1/2 tsp, Baking Soda
3/4 tsp, Salt
1/4 cup, Butter or margarine, cold

3/4 cup, Milk, cold (I used unsweetended almond milk)
1/2 cup, Mashed Banana (1 large)

Instructions
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Cut in butter/margarine until crumbly.
Make a well in the centre.
Pour milk (milk alternative) and banana into well.
Stir to moisten.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 400*F for 15 – 20 minutes.
Makes 15 biscuits.
Serve hot with butter and marmalade or peanut butter.

Note: I find these freeze really well! So it’s a perfect thing to make a double batch of and have some on hand for visitors.

3. Banana Bread (of course!)

My favourite banana bread recipe is from Joy of Cooking* and I make it often as a double batch in a bundt pan if I have a lot of bananas to use up!

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour (though I often substitute whole wheat or spelt for a portion of this)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar (I usually only use 1/3 cup)

2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup very ripe bananas (approximately 2)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk dry ingredients together
2. In a large bowl beat sugar and butter together on high speed until the colour and texture change
3. Beat in flour mixture until the ingredients are the consistency of brown sugar
4. Beat in eggs
5. Fold in mashed bananas and nuts
6. Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes in a greased 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pan

4. Ice Cream

One ingredient banana ice cream is so easy to do!

Banana Ice Cream Recipe

1. Choose your ripest bananas–the riper the better
2. Peel and chop them in pieces
3. Freeze the pieces overnight
4. Place the banana pieces in a food processor or blender
5. Pulse and/or blend the pieces until they are smooth–it’ll go through a couple stages before it gets there
6. Place the smooth banana back into the freezer for it to get solid
7. Enjoy!

You can also get adventurous and add other flavours to this, such as peanut butter.

5. Banana Bites

This is one of the easiest, quickest snacks I know how to make. I’ve had this recipe for years and have no idea where it’s from. I’m pretty sure I scribbled it down from someone’s Facebook timeline, but have no way to know. This scrap piece of paper with the recipe scribbled on it sits on my fridge for easy access because I make them so much!

Drop the batter in large spoonfuls on the baking sheet and bake. Depending on your oven, I check at 10 mins to gauge the length of time I need to let them bake.

They are not quite a biscuit and not quite a cookie, but certainly hit the spot for a healthy snack! I find these only last for a couple days on the counter, so do not tend to make too many at once.

Recipe Substitutions

Chocolate chips are my downfall, so I don’t keep them in the house very often. As a result, I’ve made these oat bites with dried cranberries and raisins instead. I also find I have to lessen the amount of oats depending on the size of the bananas.

6. Banana Muffins

I adapted this recipe from one found online on The Busy Baker. I use any mashed fruit or puree that I have on hand and these always seem to turn out well!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup mashed or pureed fruit (approximately three ripe bananas)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup spelt flour (or other whole grain flour)
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine wet and dry ingredients separately then mix together
2. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until muffins spring back when pressed

7. Banana Pancakes

This is a really simple recipe that’s great for kids! I make it for breakfast and snacks and it only takes a few minutes. There are many variations out there but really all you need are a very ripe banana and an egg.

Ingredients

1 Mashed Banana
1 Egg

Instructions

Mash the banana, mix in the egg and fry as you would a pancake with a bit of coconut oil in the pan and voila! You can add a pinch of baking powder and dash of vanilla if you want to get crazy, but they’re not necessary.

What is your favourite way to use up ripe bananas?

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