Waste Less Recipes

I found a recipe in a women’s magazine here that looked so interesting I had to try it. Well, sort of. It called for green bananas, which I didn’t have, and cheeses and spinach, which I’m also out of. So I went out on a limb and altered the recipe to suit my needs.

The recipe comes from an article about environmentally friendly eating. As many of us just don’t have the funds to eat organically, and local foods aren’t always an option, one of the best ways to eat to “save the planet” is to waste less. This recipe successfully accomplishes that.

You see, you’re going to be eating banana peel. So wash your bananas well before you use them. If you go for green bananas, I think they need to be oven-cooked with skin on for about 10-15 minutes so as to be soft enough to mash. Or you can put them through a food processor.

The flavor of this dish, in spite of the cloves and nutmeg and banana, isn’t overly sweet. It reminds me of the savory/sweet Italian contemporary dishes I like: pastas with cream sauces, toasted almonds, etc… It’s also pretty filling and can be made entirely vegan, for those who so desire. Just substitute oil for the butter and soy products for the cheese and cream.

p.s. I know this sounds weird, but I am eating it as I type and can assure you, it’s worth a try! Anyone out there have other ‘waste less recipes’?

Banana Gnocchi

For one:
one banana, slightly green
banana peel, diced
½ T cream cheese
4 T flour, corn meal
cloves, pepper, salt, nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 cups watery tomato sauce
1/2 small diced onion
1 T butter
cream

Mash banana and mix with cream cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste and about 4 T flour (some can be corn meal). Roll into small balls and put in greased pan, cook until browned on bottom, flip, cook some more!

Brown onion in butter and add finely diced banana peel when onions become transparent. The banana peel will oxidize when you cut it, but changes color in the pan. Don't be afraid! Add spices to taste, then about 1/4 to ½ cup tomato sauce. Cook for a few minutes. Add a touch of brown sugar if the sauce is bitter/acidy. Add cream to taste. Serve hot over the gnocchi.

p.p.s. After licking the plate clean, I am now ruminating on the possibility of banana almond/walnut/pecan gnocchi (minus the salt) with a chocolate sauce and fried banana peel chips...oohhhhhhhh I'm going to get fat! (But with no shortage of potassium!)