As a recipe developer myself, I love figuring out new ways to use them. You can find a few of my ideas on my website, like my Mango Banana Almond Overnight Oats and my Matcha Green Tea Energy Muffins! But why exactly do bananas turn brown? Technically, they’re spoiling: The acids in the fruit have softened, and the over-ripe bananas become sweeter and mushier. No matter the color, bananas are full of nutrients, including blood-pressure-helping potassium and satiating fiber. RELATED: 10 High-Fiber Foods to Add to Your Diet Ready to use those brown bananas? Here are a bunch of dietitian-approved recipes to get you started! And if you’re reading this article and only have green or yellow bananas in your kitchen, here’s a trick to get them to brown faster: Place the bananas in a brown paper bag to trap ethylene gas inside the bag and speed along the ripening process.
1. Mix Brown Bananas Into Oatmeal and Add Chocolate
Use ripe bananas to sweeten an overnight oats recipe. Or combine them with zucchini, unsweetened cocoa powder, and oats for a delicious oatmeal-based bread. “This Chocolate Zucchini Bread Oatmeal is one of my favorite oatmeal recipes because the sweetness from the ripe banana and the richness from the cocoa allow you to sneak in some veggies,” says Jessica Cording, RD, who is in private practice in New York City. Get the recipe at Jessica Cording Nutrition.
2. Make Banana Muffins With Coconut and Yogurt
Combine ripe bananas with banana yogurt and coconut for Banana Coconut Mini Muffins, suggests Devin Alexander, a celebrity chef and the author of The Most Decadent Diet Ever in Manhattan Beach, California. “These muffins curb your craving for sweets without overdoing it,” notes Alexander. Get the recipe from Devin Alexander.
3. Microwave a Cinnamon Roll and Add Banana
Who says cinnamon rolls have to be hundreds of calories and take forever to make? This Skinny Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting from Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, a dietitian in Franklin, New Jersey, and the author of Belly Fat Diet for Dummies, “packs in all the flavor of those cinnamon rolls at the mall with a quarter of the calories,” says Palinski-Wade. “The addition of the banana and dates boosts the fiber and antioxidant content, while reducing the need for added sugar.” Get the recipe from Erin Palinski-Wade.
4. Make Sweet Banana Cookies With Oats and Walnuts
For this treat, you’ll swap sugar for bananas. “The ripe bananas add sweetness so you don’t have to use sugar,” explains Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, who is in private practice in Chicago and is the author of The Superfood Swap. She recommends her easy 3-Ingredient Banana Bread Cookies, which also feature nutrient-rich oats and walnuts. Get the recipe from Dawn Jackson Blatner. Get the recipe at Marisa Moore Nutrition.
6. Serve Up Some Quick Microwave PB and Banana Cookies
Get the recipe from the Nutrition Twins.
7. Blend Brown Bananas and Sweet Potato Into a Refreshing Smoothie
Get the recipe from Bonnie Taub-Dix.
8. Bake Mini Banana Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Frosting
Puree those brown bananas, then combine them with low-fat plain Greek yogurt, unsweetened cocoa powder, and other ingredients. “Chocolate Banana Mini Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Frosting are a great way to rock through those brown, overripe bananas,” notes Julie Hartigan, a chef in Hoboken, New Jersey. Get the recipe at Cooking W/ Julie. RELATED: 7 Healthy, Protein-Packed Nut Butters
9. Fry Up a Batch of Banana-Nut Pancakes
Get the recipe at Lively Table.
10. Make Banana Pancakes With Peanut Butter Ricotta
Looking for a recipe with chocolate chips? Opt for Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Pancakes. “The optional peanut butter ricotta topping will boost the protein of your pancakes, making them a great satisfying meal to start the day,” says Mandy Enright, RDN, a food blogger and dietitian in Neptune, New Jersey. Get the recipe at Nutrition Nuptials. Get the recipe at Emily Kyle Nutrition.
12. Add Bananas to Homemade Salted Peanut Butter Cups
“You get healthy fats, protein, and fiber from the nut butter and lots of potassium from the bananas — all in a totally decadent treat,” Sharp says. Get the recipe at Abbey’s Kitchen.
13. Whip Up Chocolate Avocado Pudding With Banana
Mixing bananas into this creamy Chocolate Avocado Pudding makes for a decadent dessert that’s rich in healthy fat from avocado. Plus, “doing so is a great way to use up ripe avocados, in addition to ripe bananas,” says Andrea Docherty, RD, who is in private practice in Windsor, Ontario. Get the recipe at Andrea Docherty Nutrition.
14. Add Chia and Banana to Pudding for a Filling Breakfast or Snack
Get the recipe at Nourish.
15. Blend a ‘Nice Cream’ With Salted Chocolate Chips and Banana
Get the recipe at NUTRitIONALLY.
16. Make Homemade Mango Sorbet With Bananas
Get the recipe at the Shaw Kitchen. RELATED: 5 Tricks for Getting Enough Fruit and Veggies
17. Indulge in Vegan, Dairy-Free Homemade Banana Candy Bars
Get the recipe at Byte Sized Nutrition.
