Everyone likes bananas in fact some people just can’t get enough of this fabulous fun fruit and they just love'em !Here are some fun banana facts.............
- The Dominican Republic grows many different types of bananas and here they are called “Guineo’s”
- Bananas are grown all year round
- Bananas contain potassium which is good for brain power
- Bananas are not really a fruit they are in fact a giant herb
- Not all bananas are yellow some are pink and even blue!
- Banana plants grow up to 20 feet tall or even higher
- Bananas have been grown on this planet for over a million years!
- Do you know what colour bananas are when they are picked? They are green and sent to special ripening centers where they turn yellow before they arrive in your supermarket
- The scientific name for bananas is Musa X paradisiacal
Why bananas are so good for you.........!
- Bananas are one of natures richest and best sources of potassium and by eating a banana it is one of the easiest ways to give your body this important mineral.!
- Bananas are one of the only fruits to contain all the vitamins that we need including vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C. They also contain a lot of fibre and magnesium too..!
- On average bananas contain 2-3 times the level of carbohydrates than any other fruit and contain no fat what so ever, they are the ideal high energy snack food..!
- Bananas put you in a good mood – it’s true, bananas contain a chemical substance that affects our brains and has a calming happy effect on us!.!
Bananas in the Dominican Republic
Organic bananas are one of the biggest exports in the Dominican Republic. They are grown in an area called Azua. As well as the sweet tasting yellow banana, platano’s or plantains are also grown. These are larger and harder types of bananas and used mainly for cooking with. A bit like a potato, plantains are mashed, boiled and fried, they used as a starchy vegetable. The plantains are green in colour when used as a vegetable.
Plantains are a staple food in many tropical and Caribbean countries and can be made into a lot of delicious snacks and sweet dishes too! A lot of babies and elderly people (you know the ones with no teeth or false ones!) are fed mashed and boiled plantains as just like sweet bananas they are nutritionally very valuable.
Just like a French fry or chip the Domincans make tostones, the plantains are sliced in long pieces and then fried. The segments are then removed into round shapes and squashed so they become flat and then fried again. When they are served hot with a little bit of salt they are delicious!
Plantain or banana leaves are used as plates! They can get a bit floppy as you can imagine so the leaves are placed onto the table and the food is put directly onto the banana leaves. When the food is served hot the leaves give off a fragrant smell.
Some Banana Recipes To Try at Home.....
Banana Choc Monster
You will need.........
- 1 peeled banana
- 1 tablespoon cocoa or chocolate powder
- 1 cold cup of milk
- 2 scoops of vanilla or chocolate icecream
Put everything into the blender and give it a serious wiz until all the ingredients are smooth. Serve immediately, you can sprinkle the top with chocolate bits or extra cocoa if you like.
Banana Cake
You will need...........
- 3 peeled and sliced bananas
- 1 cup of self raising flour
- Half a cup of sugar
- 60g of butter
- 1 beaten egg
- Third of a cup of milk
- 1 tablespoon of extra sugar
- 1 teaspoon of grated lemon rind
- Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
- Melted butter for brushing on the top
Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl. Rub in butter. Add the milk and egg until everything is well blended. Spread the dough out in a greased baking tin (approx 28 x 18cm). Combine extra sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon and then sprinkle all over the dough. Arrange the bananas on the top and then brush with melted butter. Bake in a moderate oven for about 30 – 35 minutes until golden brown. Cut into squares when cool and you can eat it just as it is or serve it with icecream, custard to whipped cream – YIPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
