5 Delicious ways to use up your overripe bananas

Don’t you hate it when you buy bananas and before you know it they are overripe and even the monkeys are not interested in them?

Have some overripe bananas? Put them to good use

Banana bread wouldn't be possible without overripe bananas, nor would banana pancakes or those delicious banana smoothies or even a face mask!

1) Banana Bread Pancakes

Make sure you have those super ripe bananas, pancake mix, nuts, buttermilk and spices.

 Ingredients

2 cups/500g pancake mix

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ cup oats

½ cup chopped pecans

2 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed

Maple syrup

 Instructions

Whisk the pancake mix, pumpkin pie spice and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir in the oats.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs and then stir in the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas, mixing well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry stir to combine. If the batter is too thick, add a little more buttermilk. Let the mix sit for 10 minutes or so while the griddle or fry pan heats.

Spray the griddle with cooking spray over medium heat, about 375 degrees F. When the griddle is hot, pour or scoop the pancake mix onto the griddle, about ¼ cup per pancake. Cook until the bottoms are lightly browned and top is beginning to bubble, flip, and repeat with the other side.

Serve with maple syrup, cherries or blueberries and yes sliced banana!

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2) Freeze bananas and turn them into healthy soft-serve

Peel the bananas and cut them into chunks before freezing. When you want ice cream, dump a couple handfuls into a food processor and mix until they turn into a creamy paste. You can spunk it up with chocolate sauce or crushed nuts.

3) Banana and caramel cheesecake

 Ingredients

CRUST

200 g ginger biscuits crushed

150 g butter

TOPPING

500 ml cream chilled

65 ml castor sugar

500 g creamed cottage cheese

375 g Nestlé Caramel Treat

3 large bananas

Cocoa for sifting on top

Instructions

Spray a 25 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with nonstick spray and line the base and sides with aluminum foil. Grease the foil or spray it with nonstick spray. Mix the biscuit crumbs and melted butter together and press on to the base and along the sides of the tin. Chill. Whip the cream and castor sugar together until stiff and fold in the creamed cottage cheese. Chill the mixture until stiff.

Beat the caramel condensed milk until smooth and spread over the biscuit base. Slice the bananas and arrange on the caramel layer. Pour the cream and cheese mixture into the crust and dust with cocoa. Chill, preferably overnight, until firm. Serve with tea or as a dessert.

Makes 1 large tart.

4) Banana face mask recipe for radiant skin *This is not for eating*

 Ingredients

1 banana

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Instructions

Place the banana in a small mixing bowl and mash it with a fork until you have a lump-free paste. Then mix in the honey and lemon juice and combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Wash your face with a gentle soap and pat it dry with a soft towel. Using clean fingers, rub the mask into your face.

Apply the mask in a slightly thick layer and keep it on for 10 to 15 minutes so that it can soak in.

When the time is up, wash your face with warm water and do not use soap. And voilà!

5) Chocolate and banana French toast

 Ingredients

1 banana

75g milk chocolate, chopped

4 slices crusty white bread from a round loaf

3 medium eggs

1 tbsp double cream

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

25g unsalted butter

ground cinnamon, to serve

icing sugar or extra maple syrup, to serve (optional)

Instructions

Slice the banana into a small bowl and mash using a fork. Add the chopped chocolate and mix to combine.

Lay 2 slices of bread on the work surface. Divide the chocolate and banana mixture between them, spreading it almost to the edges. Top each with a second slice of bread and press together to make a sandwich.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, double cream, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Lay one sandwich into the egg mixture to coat one side, and then carefully flip it over so that both sides of the sandwich are soaked in the egg. Lower the sandwich into the hot frying pan and cook for about 1 min on each side, until golden brown and the chocolate has started to melt. Repeat with the second sandwich.

Cut the sandwiches in half to serve and sprinkle with a little ground cinnamon.

Happy cooking. Share your special banana recipe treats with us.

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