Going Bananas in August

That's right, August is the month of bananas with this weird celebration on August 27th, Banana Lovers Day! This weird holiday has me just positively going bananas over the banana! I have decided to share some of the silly facts about bananas that I have found and I promise I won't monkey you around too much!(get it? get it?). The banana is such a versatile and sometimes under-appreciated fruit that doesn't get the credit that it deserves! People all over the world enjoy the fruit of the banana tree in its many forms, from the common yellow bananas we are used to seeing here in the states to the small green plantains of Central American cuisine there are quite a few varieties and an absolute plethora of ways to enjoy the banana, the slippery peeled fruit of the month of August!

Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana

Originally cultivated in South East Asia, bananas have been spread all over the world by modern trade allowing even the most remote monkey to go bananas over their next split! With records of cultivation for the banana going back to 5000 BC there is little question into whether the banana itself have always been a favored culinary delight. Bananas grow on a tree that itself grows from what is called a colm, a special sort of root formation. The bananas as we almost all know grow in large groups called bunches, so yes you can go bananas a bunch of times! Banana trees have made their ways all over the globe in today's monkey friendly world, from the pacific islands to the Caribean, and even spots in Florida and California, it almost seems like the whole world is going bananas at times!

That's right, all around their range, bananas have long been recognized by the locals as not only a great food source, but a beautiful plant! That's right, some people value bananas for their beautiful blossoms and flowers. Some people even like to put them under odd situations, like a black light! Did you know that bananas actually glow blue while under an ultraviolet light?

Adding fruit is a great way to make sure that you are helping to start your day as healthy as possible, one of the simplest ways to do this is to 86 that syrup on your morning stack of pancakes. Instead add some low far whipped cream, some fresh berries, a little powdered sugar, and of course a few slices of banana for an equally delicious and ultimately more nutritious addition to your breakfast.

Going Bananas in August

Every year Sacramento California plays host to a banana festival in August, though the celebrations do not always fall on Banana Appreciation Day, the festival still pays homage to this wonderful fruit by offering food, games, and other events all celebrating around the beloved banana. This festival has been known to include: banana juggling, the monkey act, a banana cooking contest, and of course, a banana eating contest! For those of you in the banana eating mood, or if you are just looking to go bananas this August and are in the area you should make a point of stopping out and trying many of the banana recipes being offered by vendors, from banana ice cream to fried bananas on a stick you cannot go wrong as long as you go bananas and let your inner monkey out!

Bananas are known to be healthy, but what about them makes them so healthy? Well let me share just a few of the reasons you should go bananas this August! Bananas contain 11% of your daily recommended amount of fiber and only contain about 108 calories per banana. According to several studies, potassium may be a key ingredient in a healthy diet to lowering your blood pressure and bananas are one of the fruits with the highest concentration of potassium. Not only does potassium lower blood pressure but it has been shown to help your bone health! So it seems that no matter how you serve or cut them, bananas can be beneficial in your life as an integral part of your diet!

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 35

Serves: 12