Going Bananas

Living on a tropical island, there are plenty of fresh--and I mean straight from the tree--bananas, and, believe me, I am taking full advantage of this treasure.  I mean, seriously, how fun is this???

Now, what to do with all of these bananas before they go bad...why do bananas have the irritating habit of ripening and turning black at the speed of light?  With a gazillion bananas on my counter top, I have to come up with something--and quick.  Luckily, I know just the thing.

I have recently "discovered" smoothies.  Oh...my...goodness...how have I gone 40 years without them!?  Delightfully decadent, yet healthy-as-all-get-out (I solemnly swear to leave out the Nutella), smoothies are simply the bomb.  And they're even MORE scrumptious when you use fresh fruit that you've flash-frozen yourself.

...Did I mention that I have a gazillion bananas...?...

I just learned how to flash-freeze stuff, and it's so simple and such a good way to save money by not letting food go bad, that I've become obsessed.  Mangoes, berries, bell peppers, eggplant, buttery-cheesy-gooey olive bread...and now a gazillion bananas.  I had to...it's an island--don't judge.

Luckily, once ripened, bananas can be peeled, cut into chunks, and flash-frozen for easy use later.  After several "mad scientist" sessions in my kitchen, I have come up with what I believe is the most absolutely divine--yet good for you--peanut butter banana smoothie.  So good, in fact, that I would feel bad keeping it all to myself.  Enjoy!

Oh, and feel free to experiment with the recipe; I promise you won't hurt my feelings (sniff, sniff...).  Plus, it's fun!

Tammy's Positively Divine

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Ingredients (listed in order) for one serving:

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or coconut milk, or low-fat dairy milk, or whatever milk floats your boat)

1-2 big handfuls fresh spinach leaves (Trust me...spinach is a nutrient powerhouse, and I use it in every smoothie I make.  Unless you dump in a whole pound of it, this lovely, leafy green changes only the color, not the flavor, of your smoothie, so there's no good reason to leave it out.

So there!

:-)  

I do, however, remove the stems first--I don't know why...they just ook me out...)

1 - 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp raw/unpasteurized honey (more or less to suit your taste)

(interesting factoid:  honey should be consumed raw, never cooked; cooking/heating honey strips it of its rich nutritional value and turns it into a toxic "glue"; most commercially packaged honey has been heated, so look for the words "raw" or "unpasteurized" on the container in places like whole food stores, farmers' markets, roadside stands, or Ayurvedic centers; the best honey you can get is both raw and local--local honey can help calm your seasonal allergies)

1 banana (fresh or frozen)

1/2" - 1" piece fresh ginger, peeled & diced 

(another interesting factoid:  fresh ginger is a powerful digestive and circulatory aid, and it burns up nasty toxins in the body)

Handful of ice

2 big Tbsp natural/organic peanut butter, added and blended AFTER you've blended the above ingredients up a little first...this will help prevent the peanut butter from sticking to the sides of your blender 

You can also use other kinds of nut butters (almond, for example), but I currently use peanut.  My favorite is the Smart Balance brand (creamy variety), but I just ran out and can't buy it on the island (boo!).  Luckily, I came across this little beauty in the grocery store the other day.  It's British...oooh, ahhh...  The important thing, though, is that there should really be no more than about three or four simple (and pronounceable!) ingredients.

Blend it some more until smooth, pour into a glass, and devour--ahem...I mean, savor--it. 

Some optional additions could include blending in a couple of tablespoons of raw, old-fashioned oats or adding a sprinkle of chia seeds on top before drinking.  Yummy fun.  :-)

That's it for now.  I hope you'll like this delicious, healthy smoothie as much as I do.  I think I slurped it down in about 5 seconds flat this morning...

Peace, dudes

...just practicing my "beach-speak"... ;-)

Tammy