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Top Banana Recipes

March 31, 2014
Photo: Randy Mayor
75 different ways to enjoy bananas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
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Sweet, Ripe Bananas

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Bananas Foster Parfaits

We love this superfood for its healthy benefits: bananas provide relief from acid reflux by acting as a natural antacid, prevent muscle cramping, supply the body with potassium, counteract calcium loss, strengthen your blood—the list could go on. Incorporate this über-healthy fruit into your daily diet with a few of our favorite banana recipes.

Bananas Foster Parfaits make a delicious breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert treat. When making this recipe for adults, substitute an equal amount of gold rum for the apple juice.

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Skinny Elvis Waffle

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Skinny Elvis Waffle

This aptly-named breakfast treat would've delighted the King of Rock 'n' Roll, with its sweet peanut butter and crispy bacon complemented by delicious sliced bananas.

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Coconut-Banana Grape-Nuts with Lime

Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Coconut-Banana Grape-Nuts with Lime

These crunchy wheat-and-barley nuggets are packed with 49g of whole grains per serving.

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Citrusy Banana-Oat Smoothie

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Citrusy Banana-Oat Smoothie

Smart food choices really boost your day. Start off right with this delicious smoothie. Make it faster by freezing the banana and prepping the oatmeal the night before.

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Banana, Chocolate, and Hazelnut Dip

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Banana, Chocolate, and Hazelnut Dip

Made with Greek yogurt and light sour cream, this delicious spread makes a guilt-free treat. Serve on graham crackers, or add it to a peanut butter sandwich for a touch of sweetness without loading it up with calories.

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Chocolate-Almond Banana Smoothie

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Chocolate-Almond Banana Smoothie

Get your chocolate fix by preparing this smoothie for breakfast. With a whopping 7.2 grams of protein per serving, it will give you enough fuel to carpe diem.

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Bananas Foster Breakfast Strata

Photo: Johnny Miller
View Recipe: Bananas Foster Breakfast Strata

Take care when adding the rum to the hot pan—it flames up immediately. You can also add the rum off the heat, and then carefully light it with a long match.

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Banana Bread with Chocolate Glaze

Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Banana Bread with Chocolate Glaze

The most tempting of all our quick breads, the chocolate glaze on this banana bread makes it irresistible.

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Breakfast Quinoa

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Breakfast Quinoa

Like most whole grains, quinoa is surprisingly filling, but if you need more for breakfast, serve with an egg on the side.

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Cinnamon Banana Crunch Bowl

Photo: Kang Kim
View Recipe: Cinnamon Banana Crunch Bowl

Mix up your oatmeal routine with bulgur in this Cinnamon Banana Crunch Bowl. The results are a quick and easy breakfast of champions.

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Spinach Smoothies

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Spinach Smoothies

Don't let the name of this recipe fool you, because it packs in plenty plaintain—two whole, medium-sized bananas, to be exact. Spinach and kiwi also give a power boost to your day as key ingredients in this tasty smoothie.

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Banana Split Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Photo: Levi Brown
View Recipe: Banana Split Ice-Cream Sandwiches

The vanilla cookies are very thin and are made from a batter that requires chilling before shaping. They'll be soft when warm but light and crisp after they cool. Gooey toppings make this a good knife-and-fork sandwich. Assemble just before serving.

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Frozen Chocolate-Banana Shake

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Frozen Chocolate-Banana Shake

Love chocolate-dipped frozen bananas at the amusement park? Enjoy the same flavors in a glass. Tofu adds creaminess to this dessert shake.

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Chai Banana Bread

Photo: Mary Britton Senseney
View Recipe: Chai Banana Bread

You'll find all the delicious spices of Chai tea in one melt-in-your-mouth loaf of Chai Banana Bread.These spices work really well together and are a good contrast with the sweetness of the banana.

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Banana-Chocolate French Toast

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Banana-Chocolate French Toast

For hard-to-please kids, try serving breakfast for dinner. Pair this dish with a mixed fruit cup to round out the meal.

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Coffee-Drenched Ice Cream with Banana and Peanuts

Photo: Nigel Cox
View Recipe: Coffee-Drenched Ice Cream with Banana and Peanuts

Substitute strong brewed coffee for the espresso, or use instant coffee/espresso granules to make the coffee. A vegetable peeler is a great tool to make chocolate curls from a bar of chocolate.

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Horchata Shake

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Horchata Shake

Horchata is a cinnamon-laced drink based on traditional agua frescas of Mexico and Guatemala. A frozen banana whirred up with the vanilla-flavored milk base creates a delicious shake.

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Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes with Orange Sauce

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/whole-wheat-buttermilk-pancakes

Whipped egg whites and leavening agents make these pancakes extra fluffy, while the banana topping provides a healthy pièce de résistance.

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Banana Split Sundaes

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Banana Split Sundaes

Believe it or not, banana splits are a great way for children to have a well-balanced sweet treat. The secret? Go heavy on the fruit!

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Banana Snacking Cake

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Banana Snacking Cake

This is a light and healthy snack any kid would love. It also makes a great go-to breakfast on those mornings when you're short on time.

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Peanut Butter, Banana, and Flax Smoothies

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Peanut Butter, Banana, and Flax Smoothies

Get the day started right with a peanut butter, banana, and flax smoothie. Not only will it taste like a treat, but you'll also get a good dose of potassium, protein, and fiber to boot. If the smoothies seem too thick, just add another tablespoon or two of milk.

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Brennan's Bananas Foster

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Brennan's Bananas Foster

This bananas foster recipe was created at New Orleans's Brennan's Restaurant in the 1950s. For best results, be sure to use firm, ripe bananas.

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Carrot, Apple, and Ginger Refresher

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Carrot, Apple, and Ginger Refresher

Slim on saturated fat and high on beta-carotene, potassium, and antioxidants, this recipe makes for a breakfast of champions.

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Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting 

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These delectable morsels melt in your mouth, because they're so moist. If the frosting is too thin, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until it is spreadable.

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Banana-Agave Smoothie

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Banana-Agave Smoothie

Combining bananas and blueberries with creamy, fat-free yogurt and a hint of agave nectar makes for a rich and satisfying smoothie that's also low in fat. Found in most grocery stores, agave nectar comes from the plant by the same name and offers a sweeter flavor than honey. This smoothie fuels you up with a healthy dose of potassium, antioxidants, and vitamins C and B6.

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Banana, Wheat Germ, and Oats

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Banana, Wheat Germ, and Oats

Wheat germ and oats make a perfect pair: You get the goodness of whole grains from the oats and a host of nutrients, such as vitamin E, iron, potassium, and folic acid, from the nutty wheat germ. Don't forget the banana slices!

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Banana Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Banana Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Mashed banana adds more than just flavor to this cake—it also keeps the layers moist.

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Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter-Pecan Frosting

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Roasted Banana Bars with Browned Butter-Pecan Frosting

Brown butter in a saucepan to enhance its richness, thus eliminating the need for full-fat cream cheese in this recipe. This is a great way to use ripe, speckled bananas.

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Classic Banana Bread

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Classic Banana Bread

We love this bread's moist texture and simple flavor. Banana bread should form a crack down the center as it bakes—a sign the baking soda is doing its job.

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Browned Butter Bananas with Orange-Brandy Sauce

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Browned Butter Bananas with Orange-Brandy Sauce

Browned butter gives this dessert a rich, caramelized, almost nutty flavor. Choose firm bananas with no spots; they'll hold up better when cooked.

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Banana Breakfast Smoothie

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Banana Breakfast Smoothie

Take this protein-packed smoothie and a handful of granola for a quick breakfast on the go. Adding the yogurt at the very end imparts a creamy texture.

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Tropical Muffins with Coconut-Macadamia Topping

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Tropical Muffins with Coconut-Macadamia Topping

Most monounsaturated fat in each serving comes from mild-flavored canola oil and rich macadamia nuts. Flaked sweetened coconut is high in saturated fat for a plant food (nearly 94 percent of the fat is saturated), but a little offers nutty flavor to the batter and texture to the topping.

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Banana-Coconut Ice Cream

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Banana-Coconut Ice Cream

The added creaminess of two percent milk (as opposed to fat-free or one percent) makes richer ice cream with fewer ice crystals. Cream of coconut is a sweet, thick mixture that's used to make piña coladas; look for it in cans near the drink mixes.

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Chocolate Shortcakes with Bananas and Caramel

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Chocolate Shortcakes with Bananas and Caramel

These dusky cakes are enriched with cocoa and butter. Patting the dough into a single disk keeps it from being overworked so the shortcake stays tender.

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Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

Frozen bananas, graham cracker crumbs, and vanilla extract are a few of the ingredients that make this smoothie a rich dessert in a glass. One serving gives you about the same amount of calcium as a glass of 1% milk.

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Chocolate-Banana Snack Cake

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Chocolate-Banana Snack Cake

This easy-to-make snack cake has a deep chocolate taste. For more banana flavor and a slight crunch, top the cake with crumbled banana chips before baking.

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Banana Rum Coconut Cookies

Photo: Howard L. Puckett
View Recipe: Banana Rum Coconut Cookies

These low-fat oatmeal cookies will make you feel as if you're on a Caribbean beach. The combination of coconut, rum, and banana give this cookie a flavor that seems too good to be true. (It's not.)

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Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Split Sandwich

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Split Sandwich

This fun, kid-friendly indulgence was a hit at taste testing and received our highest rating. The recipe can easily be multiplied to make as many sandwiches as you need.

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