What you can do with a banana: 15 ideas for a good mood

Banana is an oblong yellow berry that can quickly cheer you up. Biologists who know that a banana palm is actually a herb whose fruits are rich in vitamin B6 will tell you something about this (he is responsible for a positive attitude). But besides this wonderful substance, a lot of interesting things are hidden under the smooth skin.

Suggest to a friend!

Banana opens up great opportunities for experimentation, and not only in the kitchen. But take your time scrolling through the text - it’s useful to learn some theory before practice.

All over the world, bananas have gained the fame of exciting fruits (actually berries, but accepting this is not so easy - they are very big and strong). As some wits say, it is no coincidence that bananas and the Kama Sutra share a common homeland. All this is not empty speculation - it has been scientifically proven that fragrant banana pulp works like an aphrodisiac, and the specific shape of the fruit only strengthens this effect - “primitive” psychological mechanisms work.

But what else can a banana offer a tired Russian besides increasing libido?

• Satisfying hunger. The most commonplace item, which, however, should not be discounted. A well-fed and contented person is capable of much!
• A large portion of energy. Thanks to fructose, glucose and fiber in the composition, the banana pulp not only saturates, but quickly replenishes the lost strength - you want to live and create (at least in the next half hour or hour).
• Increased brain activity. The resulting “fuel” goes not only to maintain physical endurance, but also to “warm up” the brain. Simply put, reinforcing it with a banana, you’ll better think for a while.
• Happiness and comfort. A banana is, of course, not a pill of joy, but it contains substances that trigger the synthesis of serotonin (the “hormone of happiness”). Ideally, this effect should be fixed by staying in the sunlight - then your body will have everything to mix an antidepressant cocktail in the blood. The conclusion is simple: the guy threw it - buy bananas and go to the solarium!

They say that according to the effect on the nervous system, 1 banana is equal to 2 glasses of cognac. Wince?

But just peeling and eating is too easy (although sometimes it looks like a provocation - never eat bananas in the subway, staring into the eyes of the passenger sitting opposite).

Change eggs for banana

If a banana is found among the ingredients in a baking recipe, this seems unusual. Actually - a very good option.

• Such a replacement will help out if the eggs run out at home. You can not look for a special recipe, but simply replace a couple of chicken eggs with a banana in the usual dish - this will provide the necessary stickiness to the dough.
• In some cases, this technique will make it possible to turn a regular dish into a vegetarian (for this it is necessary that the other components are of vegetable origin).
• If a person is allergic to eggs, replacing them with banana pulp is a vital life hack.

1 medium sized ripe banana replaces 2 chicken eggs in the dough. By the way, calories become less (the energy value of eggs is slightly higher).

Banana dough is not exotic, but just one of the options. As a rule, it does not have a pronounced tropical taste. If you want to make dessert more fragrant, use banana cream, caramelized or fresh banana as a supplement.

How to grease your dessert?

If your task is to turn a fluffy biscuit into a delicious juicy cake, try brushing the cakes with banana cream.

We’ll warn you right away: this recipe is for the sophisticated. In order to prevent the banana puree from darkening, you need to be a virtuoso of confectionery art.

It will take 6 ingredients:

• Milk or cream - 400 ml;
• Peeled bananas - 200 g;
• Sugar - 2 tablespoons;
• Corn starch - 1 tablespoon;
• Egg yolks - 4 pieces;
• Butter - 2 tablespoons.

Fragrant cream is prepared as follows:

1. First, add three tablespoons of milk to the starch and mix thoroughly to dissolve all the lumps.
2. Pour all the milk (2 cups), starch mixture into a saucepan or a deep metal bowl, and send the yolks there. Whisk together with a mixer.
3. We warm the resulting mixture in a water bath, but do not let it boil. The yolks and starch should “boil”, the liquid will eventually thicken a little.
4. We remove from the stove, let cool.
5. At this time, we turn the bananas into mashed potatoes using a blender. In order not to darken, you can add a little lemon juice and immediately - softened butter.
6. Add the banana puree to the rest of the ingredients (they should have cooled by then) and mix thoroughly. That's it - you can collect the cake!

This cream is light, quickly absorbed into a biscuit. At the same time, the dessert will not be very high-calorie - an excellent option for a romantic dinner with an equally romantic continuation.

Fry like a pro

Let's continue the journey through the gastronomic paradise and move on to another sweet masterpiece. Fried bananas with caramel sauce - a dessert worthy of the best restaurants. If everything is done correctly, it will be impossible to break away from it.

Psychologists say that a person’s sexual behavior can be judged by what and how he prefers to eat. If your potential partner is a foodie at the table, then in your intimate life, most likely, he will be sensitive and selective. And vice versa - if he is illegible in food, then in bed you should not expect special sensitivity from him. An interesting life hack for those who have a first date at a restaurant, isn't it?

The “trick” of a properly prepared dessert is in a harmonious combination of tastes. Just fried bananas - nothing special. But fried bananas with creamy caramel, melted ice cream and golden sesame seeds are just what will make taste buds rejoice.

This time there will be 8 ingredients:

• bananas - 2 pcs.;
• sugar - 100 g for sauce and 1.5 tablespoons for roasting;
• water - ¼ cup;
• butter - 50 g;
• fat cream (from 33%) - 100 ml;
• sesame seeds - a tablespoon;
• salt - a pinch;
• ice cream - 150-200 g.

So, we relax, think about pleasant things and cook for our pleasure:

1. To begin with, let's take care of sesame seeds - we need to bring it into good shape. We heat the pan without oil, pour a spoonful of sesame seeds there and stir all the time. The task is simple - to bring the seeds to the condition when they are slightly browned and begin to produce a seductive aroma. But do not rush or be distracted in the process - sesame can easily burn up.
2. Pour the golden sesame seeds into a small bowl and set aside. It's time to tackle bananas. “Undress” both copies and divide into 4 parts (first cut across, and then along each half). You can also cut at acute angles into oblong slices - a matter of taste.
3. Quickly sprinkle slices of bananas with sugar and send to a preheated pan with non-stick coating. And again, it’s important not to overdo it, because sugar can burn quickly. As soon as the bottom side has acquired a dark caramel color - turn over and bring the second side to the same state. Remove fragrant slices from the pan, trying not to break.
4. Now is the time for caramel. We take a small pan with a thick bottom, heat it, pour 100 g of sugar there and immediately add a quarter glass of water.Mix thoroughly with a silicone spatula, gently removing sugar crystals from the walls and dissolving them in syrup. Keep the pan over medium heat.
5. In a microwave or a separate saucepan, heat the cream (but do not bring to a boil!).
6. When the sugar syrup turns yellow, remove it from the heat and add 3 tablespoons of heated cream. Quickly and thoroughly mix until smooth, then add the remaining cream and put back on the stove (still medium heat). Stirring, bring to readiness - that is, to a homogeneous smooth consistency of fresh caramel.
7. Remove from heat, add butter and a pinch of salt, mix well and set to cool. The sauce is ready!
8. Now we collect the dish on portioned plates. Spread 3-4 slices of fried banana, sprinkle with golden sesame seeds. Next, put a couple of balls of ice cream and pour everything with caramel sauce. You can decorate with mint leaves.

The dessert is delicious and non-trivial. Not too simple, not too difficult - and amazingly tasty. Give it a try!

Sweet couple

For fans of banana flavors, there is another wonderful recipe - pancakes with cottage cheese and banana filling.

Almost everyone knows how to cook pancakes - we won’t bother you with repeating grandma’s recipes. Uncover your bananas - we will prepare a tasty and healthy filling that will really add energy, not suspicious carbohydrates!

It will take 4 ingredients:

• bananas - 2 large;
• lemon - half or a quarter of the fruit;
• cottage cheese - 200-250 g;
• sugar to taste.

Now note the time - you have to cope in 5 minutes:

1. We spread fresh cottage cheese in a deep bowl and knead with a fork.
2. On a flat plate or cutting board with a fork, knead bananas and immediately sprinkle them with juice squeezed from lemon.
3. We send the banana "porridge" to the cottage cheese and mix well.
4. We try and add sugar to taste.
5. After that, you can use the hand blender to turn the filling into a smoothie, but this is not necessary. Many people like the grainy texture.

Wrap the filling in pancakes and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. And that’s all - you can have breakfast and be energized for an active and positive day!

Energy drink

Banana-based smoothies and milkshakes have been held in high esteem for a couple of decades, not only among children, but also among athletes and those who are looking for a way to eat sweet, without harming the figure. There are many types of such drinks; there are even several “specialized” ones:

• Love potion. If you think about everything in advance, you can cook a real aphrodisiac in your kitchen. Pour a glass of milk into a saucepan, add 2 sticks of cinnamon, 2 buds of dried cloves and heat over low heat, not allowing to boil. After a couple of minutes, when the spices begin to give their flavor to milk, add seeds from 1 vanilla pod and remove the stewpan from the stove. We filter the vanilla milk through a sieve or gauze directly into the blender bowl, add half a banana, 1 cup vanilla yogurt (pre-frozen) and 1 teaspoon of honey. We turn on the blender and in a minute we turn the set of ingredients into a terrific smoothie.
• Sports interest. If, after a workout or physical activity of another plan, you need to urgently restore strength, prepare a nutritious banana and oatmeal smoothie. Pour half a glass of milk or kefir into a blender bowl, add peeled banana and 2 tablespoons of oatmeal. If desired, you can add honey, dried fruits (for example, a pair of pitted dates). If the day is hot, you can put a few ice cubes. Beat until smooth, try. If the drink is too thick, you can add water, milk or kefir and beat again.
• Children's joy. In fact, not only for children - many adults like a cocktail of banana and milk. It is prepared in a minute: we immerse the peeled banana in a blender (it is better to break it into pieces), add a glass of milk with a tablespoon of sugar.Beat at high speed - and the drink is ready.

There are other options - healthy fruit cocktails based on banana with strawberries, feijoa, kiwi, pear, spinach ... There are so many ways to get a portion of vitamins for your body and at the same time enjoy a delicious drink!

Beauty under the mask

But enough about gluttony - a banana can act not only from the inside, but also from the outside. Lovers of "home cosmetology" love to use it for all kinds of nourishing masks.

So, what can be added to banana puree to get a really effective face mask?

Top 7 useful components:

1. Yogurt or sour cream - for moisturizing.
2. Cream - for elasticity.
3. Lemon, orange - for whitening and drying.
4. Honey - for nutrition.
5. Strawberries - for a fresh face.
6. Egg yolk - for anti-aging effect.
7. Ground coffee - for a soft peeling.

The selected ingredients are mixed (preferably with a blender) and immediately applied to the face. The duration of the procedure is 10-15 minutes. If scrubbing particles are added, you need to gently massage the skin with your fingertips.

Banana masks are also used for hair - brittle, dry, damaged. The banana’s companions are the same — egg yolk, sour cream, honey. You can also use sea salt as a component that stimulates blood circulation and hair growth (in this case you will have to do a light head massage).

The main rule is systematic. Masks with a banana should be done at least once a week.

Bodily pleasures

The effectiveness of a banana as a cosmetic product is really not a myth. To see this, just look at the assortment of popular brands.

• The Body Shop has a wonderful “yogurt” for the body - in summer it is an indispensable thing after intense tanning. If you keep it in the refrigerator and apply to hot skin - just bliss.
• Organic Shop offers the nourishing hand cream "Akuna Banana" and body cream Banana Milk Shake. Not a single harmful preservative in the composition!
• TonyMoly’s two absolute banana best sellers are Banana Hand Milk Hand Cream and Banana Sleeping Pack. Both products - from the Magic Food line, are sold in tubes in the form of real small bananas. And they really work!

Cosmetic products based on banana pulp are found in many brands. If the manufacturer is responsible for the technological nuances, the means obtained are not only pleasant to use, but also effective.

When they removed everything unnecessary

Banana flesh instantly went into action - but what to do with the peel? Go to the trash? And no! On the Internet, there are several options for its use, and some of them are worth trying at least out of interest - well, or just remember just in case.

• Instead of toothpaste. A rumor had flown in from somewhere vegan that teeth could be whitened with a banana peel. Of course, this is, to put it mildly, an exaggeration - there are no such components in it that can change the properties of enamel. But here is a simple daily cleaning - banana waste is affordable. A useful life hack for lovers of wild tourism and an emergency measure for those who have forgotten to take toothpaste with them on a trip: they just need to rub their teeth and tongue, just try to walk on all accessible surfaces, then rinse your mouth. After this, it is advisable to eat an apple (it also cleans the oral cavity well) and repeat rinsing with clean water.
• So in a hurry on a business trip that they forgot not only toothpaste, but also a sponge for shoes? We'll have to put another banana into action. Remove the peel and clean the leather shoes with it, like an ordinary sponge or cloth. The characteristic texture and natural plant wax work well - yesterday's dust and dirt remains on the inside of the skin.If a business meeting is very important and you need to look perfect, you have to sacrifice one toe or handkerchief - after banana cleaning, polish them shoes to make them shine!
• They returned from a business trip, and at home some ficus was depressed? It doesn’t matter - feed the poor plant with a banana peel. It has many useful elements that allow green friends to quickly increase leaf mass. The easiest way is to drip fresh cleanings right at the roots (just don’t go too far with the amount - focus on the volume of the pot). After 2 weeks, this organic top dressing is completely decomposed and, accordingly, absorbed by a houseplant. If you are afraid that the process of decay will get out of control, it is better to dry the skins in the oven in advance (on a foil sheet at 150-200 degrees, you can at the same time with some dish) - they should turn black and decrease in size. After that, grind them and periodically pour them into the soil before watering.

Ardent fans of organic farming are preparing “banana soil” - they fill the banana skins with water and wait for them to rot. The resulting mash feed the plants. Needless to say, the method is not very popular - only people with a violation of smell can withstand the smell of decaying organics.

What can be cured by banana?

This is probably the most enjoyable part of traditional medicine, because bananas, as a rule, are used not for decoctions and infusions, but in their original form. No, don’t worry - Dr. Popov’s recipes have nothing to do with it! No rectal procedures - only the traditional and safe use of oblong berries.

It is immediately worth noting that a banana in itself is not a medicine. But it can be used as an adjuvant in the treatment of a number of ailments.

• Does a banana cough? No, he will not eliminate the cause of the cough. But it really can alleviate the condition. The fact is that due to its texture, banana puree envelops the mucous membrane of the throat - and it becomes easier to swallow. You can make a banana smoothie instead of mashed potatoes, but during the illness, as a rule, many people prefer hot drinks.
• If you want to give your child a tasteless medicine, in most cases it is acceptable to mix a syrup or tablet with banana puree. So things will certainly go faster!
• Stop smoking? To begin, let me express admiration for your decision! Surely you have already obtained a lot of information on this topic, but here's another life hack: potassium, which is present in large quantities in bananas, helps to resist nicotine addiction. As soon as your hand reaches for a cigarette - eat a quarter of a ripe banana.
• Regular consumption of bananas helps to normalize blood pressure and heart rate thanks to the same potassium. In fact, potassium cares for vessels, does not allow them to accumulate salts and toxins.
• And finally, advice that should be given with caution. Bananas really help to defeat depression - but, of course, they will not replace the psychologist and necessary medications.

So, a banana is truly a friend of man. Saves from hunger, and from despondency, and from wrinkles, and from the banality of life. Probably, you can try a new way to use a banana every day - and never repeat it for a whole year. It’s so good that this yellow berry is no longer in short supply!