Go Bananas

:	Make those bodies sing with this collection of low fat banana recipes !
Banana Chocolate Studel:	4 Bananas 1.5 Tablespoons finely chopped crystallizes ginger (optional) 50g squares dark chocolate, finely chopped 2 sheets frozen puff pastry Melted butter or a beaten egg Remove pastry from freezer to thaw and preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Peel and chop bananas and mix with ginger and chocolate. Cut pastry sheets in half and place one quarter of the mix along the centre of each piece. Roll up,pinch ends. Brush pastery with melted butter or egg. Place on a baking sheet lined with silicon paper and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or creme fraiche
EASY BANANA CAKE:	Ingredients: (2 bananas used for this recipe) ¼ cup milk 1 teaspoon lemon juice 250g (8oz) bananas 1 cup sugar 2 cups self raising flour 2 eggs 60 g (2 oz) butter Method: Combine milk and lemon juice. Peel and mash bananas, put into bowl of electric mixer. Add sugar, sifted flour, lightly beaten eggs, softened butter and combined milk and lemon juice. Beat on low speed until combined, then beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Turn mixture into greased 23 cm x 12 cm (9 in x 5 in) loaf tin which has the base lined with greased greaseproof paper. Bake in low to moderate oven approx 1 ¾ hours or until cooked when tested. Cool in tin 10 minutes before turning out on wire rack to complete cooling
:	Coconut Chicken Curry with Fresh Banana Chutney 1 kg chicken breasts, (4 half breasts) 3 teaspoons tumeric salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, roughly chopped 3 cloves garlic 5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled 1-2 small red chillis 1 tomato, chopped 1 teaspoon mild Indian style curry paste 1 cup water or chicken stock 400ml tin coconut milk Fresh banana chutney: 2 bananas, sliced 1/2 purple onion, finely diced 1 red chilli, seeds removed, sliced 1/4 cup mint leaves 2 tablespoons lime juice For the curry, dust chicken pieces with tumeric, salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan, add chicken pieces and cook over a medium heat until browned all over. Remove from pan and set aside. Heat remaining oil in pan. Add onion, garlic, ginger, tomato and curry paste and cook over medium heat 4-5 min-utes. Add chicken pieces, stock and coconut milk and simmer 20 minutes. Serve with noodles or rice. For the banana chutney, combine all ingredients and serve imme-diately.
Banana Caramel Cake:	Ingredients: (3 bananas used for this recipe) 125g butter ¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed 2 eggs 1 cup mashed banana 1 ½ cups self raising flour 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda ¾ cup sour cream 1 tablespoon milk Method: Grease a 14 cm x 21 cm (5 inch x 8 inch) loaf pan. Cream butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, beat in eggs, one at a time, beat until combined. Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in banana. Stir in half the sifted dry ingredients with half the combined sour cream and milk then stir in remaining dry ingredients and sour cream mixture, stir until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake in moderate oven for about 1 hour, stand 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool. Keeping time: 4 days Caramel Icing Ingredients: 60g/ 2oz butter 1 ½ cups icing sugar ½ cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons sour cream Method: Melt butter and sugar in saucepan, stir constantly over heat without boiling for 2 minutes. Add sour cream, bring to the boil, remove from heat, and stir in sifted icing sugar.
Rum Banana and Raisin Cake:	Ingredients: 1 cup mashed, ripe banana ¼ cup milk 1 ½ cups castor sugar plus little extra for dusting ½ cup butter, softened 3 eggs 2 ½ cups plain flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp mixed spice ¾ cup rum 1 cup raisins 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts Method: Heat in a moderate oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan. In a small bowl, combine bananas with milk. Mix well. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and spice. Beat flour mixture into egg mixture until blended. Beat in banana mixture, then rum until well mixed. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into cake centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, remove cake to cool on wire rack. Dust with castor sugar before serving.
Banana Smoothy:	Ingredients 2 cups skim milk 2 banana`s roughly chopped ½ natural yogurt 1 tablespoon honey ½ tablespoon cinnamon Ice cubes Method Place all ingredients in the blender, Blend until smooth, serve in 2 tall glasses.
Banana Crepes With Brown Sugar Rum Sauce:	Garnish these delicious banana crepes with the brown sugar rum sauce and a few pecans, berries, or more slices of banana and some cinnamon sugar. Ingredients: Crepes: 2 large eggs 3/4 cup milk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons melted butter 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla . Sauce: 1 cup brown sugar, packed 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup 2 tablespoons rum 2 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla . 4 to 5 bananas cinnamon sugar berries, pecans, or more banana slices for garnish Preparation: In a blender, blend eggs with milk. Add the flour, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend until smooth. Pour into a container, cover, and refrigerate let stand for 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 12 hours. To cook, heat a lightly buttered 7" or 8" crepe pan. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter in the hot pan and swirl the pan so the batter coats the bottom of the pan. Cook until the edges begin to brown. Carefully lift with a thin spatula and flip over. Cook for a few seconds, just until lightly browned. Place on a plate and repeat with remaining batter. If you will be storing the crepes for a short time, separate the crepes with small squares of waxed paper. Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup, 2 tablespoons rum, 2 tablespoons butter, the heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. The mixture will foam, so be careful it doesn't boil over. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. Slice a banana; arrange half of the slices down the center of a crepe and drizzle with a little of the sauce and sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar; roll up and place on a serving plate. If desired, sprinkle with a few berries, extra slices of banana, or pecans. Drizzle the crepe with more rum sauce and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Repeat with remaining crepes and bananas. Makes about 8 crepes, depending on size.
Baked Bananas With Coconut:	Easy baked bananas with lemon juice, sugar, and a little coconut. Scroll down to see more baked bananas and banana desserts. Cook Time: 18 minutes Ingredients: 4 firm bananas 1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter pinch salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/2 cup flaked coconut Preparation: Preheat oven to 375°. Peel bananas and place in a well greased baking dish. Brush generously with butter and sprinkle lightly with salt. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over bananas, then drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with coconut. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until bananas are tender. Serve with syrup or a dessert sauce, if desired. More Banana Desserts
Gone Bananas :	Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet. Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia. Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system. Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation. Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal. Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%! Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!