What fruit should you carry with you into the New Year? Red bananas. They are a dressed up version of the classic and will look oh-so-fabulous with your New Year’s garb.
The reddish-purplish banana is available year-round in supermarkets and specialty stores. It is a bit softer and a plumper than the common banana, but the red counterpart has a slight raspberry flavor. The inside flesh looks just like a regular ‘ol banana, however, when it is ripe, the flesh can turn to a cream or light pink color. So don’t go purchasing the red banana if you want to brighten up your plate, but instead use it to add variety to your fruit catalog.
Nutritionally, red bananas are just as valuable of a fruit as the classic. Under the red and purple peel, the red banana holds a significant amount of vitamins and minerals and is great source of vitamin C. Each small banana has about 90 calories, 1 gram of diver and 1 gram of protein.
When picking out your maroon-hued bananas, look for bunches that are fairly firm and bruise free. The bananas will ripen to a deep red or purple color after leaving them on your counter at room temperature.
You can use a red banana the same way you would use a regular one (ie slice that baby up and put it on your cereal!), but there are some recipes out there that specifically ask for the extra sweetness of the shaded banana:
- Dress up your banana bread with red bananas.
- We recommend serving these fried red bananas with coconut ice cream.
- You’d think bananas and chicken would be a palate disaster, but we are sure this red banana and chicken recipe will make you think twice.
- This take on a crisp can use any in season fruit. Red bananas fit right in.
- Need a quick dessert? Season your red bananas with cardamom and a bit of sugar.
Have you ever tasted a red banana? What would you make with it?
I’d wondered what those were! Now I know:)
Should be a bit easier to cross this one off your list since you can find them in most grocery stores. 🙂