Рецепт Being Bananas and Nuts Can Be Fulfilling.
“Time flies like an arrow;
fruit flies like a banana.”
Groucho Marx, A Night at
the Opera
Ah, the Marx Brothers,
four brothers (Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo) who made five hilarious movies
together, before Zeppo decided that his life’s goal was to be a successful
businessman. Although the other three
brothers continued on to make more movies, it was only Groucho who continued
on, into radio and television, with his show, “You Bet Your Life”.
The banana, and its peel,
was often used as a gag in movies; who has not seen the classic slipping on the
banana peel fall? In Horse Feathers,
Chico and Harpo throw banana peels across a football field, slowing down the
opposing team as they slipped and fell.
In Duck Soup, Harpo is so busy chowing down on a banana, he successfully
does not get married, due to not being able to say his vows.
There is something to be
said about the old comedy classics such as the Marx Brothers, Abbott and
Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Bowery Boys and the Little Rascals, to name a
few. Their movies and shows were done
during hardship eras of the United States; bringing joyous laughter to help
forget the sorrows, even if for a short time.
Still having difficulty dealing with the pandemic? Have a laugh fest night watching these old
comedies; belly laughs always feel better than belly aches.
Which brings me to, “Fruits
and nuts were comparing themselves one day.
Cauliflower and Walnut said, “We look like brains, so are very
smart.” Broccoli said, “I look like a
tree, so am sturdy and strong.” Banana
said, “Nevermind, can we change the subject.””
So yes, bananas can be compared to fingers (I bet you thought I was
going to say something else), and that is exactly why they are called
bananas. Arabs adopted the name banan,
the Arabic word for finger; bananas grow in hands, or what we call bunches, and
were smaller in size.
Bananas are packed with
potassium, B6 (great for brain nourishment) and 12% of daily fiber; however,
also contain mega-carbohydrates and natural sugar. High amounts of ethylene cause the yellow
pigments in banana skins to decay into brown spots, a process called enzymatic
browning. Wrapping the stems in plastic,
or hanging them by the stem and away from other fruits, can slow the browning
process. Peel the bananas, sprinkle
lemon juice on them, and then pop them into the refrigerator to keep the “meat”
from browning too quickly. Or, take the
whole bananas (minus peels), wrap in plastic and pop into the freezer
individually; think of it as a banana popsicle.
Personally, after the peels begin to brown, I mush the banana pulp up,
measure out into one cup portions, wrap in plastic, freeze and save for baking.
One of our favorite baked
good is either banana nut muffins or breads.
I enjoy trying out new recipes which have options of using different
nuts, or added in fruits like cranberries or blueberries. One recipe I tried added in lemon juice, and
the breads came out very sour tasting, so I do not recommend that. The recipe made three breads, and I shared
two with the tasters agreeing with our assessment, just too sour.
The nut I use the most is
the walnut; rich in antioxidants and omega-3, good for digestion and a simple
1/4 cup of a walnut snack helps maintain blood sugar and blood pressure. Out of walnuts, then consider using the
almond which contains Vitamin E, and helps regulate cholesterol, blood sugar
and blood pressure.
Now, of course, the
addition of white and brown sugars is going to up the carbs, so consider using
baking sugar substitutes like Truvia and Swerve. I have even used these products for cookies, pies,
cakes, even cheesecakes, and no one could tell I did not use real sugar! Swerve even has a substitute for
confectioner’s (powdered) sugar which tastes authentic; and neither brand has a
bitter aftertaste.
Very Ripe Banana Muffins
(The 250 Best Muffin
Recipes by Esther Brody, page 124)
Ingredients:
1 cup mashed overripe
bananas
½ cup + 2 Tbsp. vegetable
oil
½ cup granulated or brown
sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 and ½ cups all-purpose
flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ cup chopped walnuts or
pecans
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F, 6
cup muffin tin greased or paper lined.
In a bowl, combine
bananas, oil, sugar and salt; blend well.
Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
In another bowl, combine
flour, baking soda, baking powder and walnuts.
Add to banana mixture; stir just until moist. Do not overmix.
Spoon batter into prepared
muffin tin, dividing evenly. Bake in
preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
Makes 6 muffins.
I doubled up on this
recipe to make 12 muffins, and used brown sugar to give the muffins a rich,
darker coloring.
With the bread, this
recipe can make one loaf, and if using white sugar, the interior coloring will
be much lighter than with brown sugar.
Want a bit more flavor, add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.
Go nuts! Go bananas!
Go crazy with laughter! You will
be amazed at how much of your personal pain will diminish.
Mary Cokenour