Banana

These delicious banana leaf packets conceal warm, slightly sweet sticky rice perfumed with the smokiness of the charred wrapper and with a piece of banana at the center.

Bananas Foster, a flambéed dessert of halved bananas in a syrupy rum sauce, is a New Orleans favorite that never fails to please. Don’t forget the ice cream.

Capirotada is a classic Mexican bread pudding, usually served during Lent. This version combines raisins, nuts, coconut, and bananas in a sweet custard with torn bolillo rolls.

This classic waffle recipe from Gourmet combines the crisp of Belgian waffles with the tang of buttermilk for a brunch classic you’ll want on regular rotation.

Sweet potato purée and banana bind the ingredients together (so you can skip the eggs), while adding a light, natural sweetness to the batter.

This banana bread is great with or without the crumb topping. I like to bake it in a cake pan instead of a loaf pan so it seems extra fancy.

An easy press-in Nilla wafer crust cradles a silky layer of fresh banana cheesecake, which gets topped with a light and fluffy sour cream whip.

A vanilla wafer crumb crust gives signature banana pudding flavor to this meringue topped holiday pie.

This recipe shines for its simplicity. However, in order for it to be spectacular, the quality of the three ingredients really matters.

The literal translation of the name of this drink is “the Virgin’s tears,” as the red color of the beets resembles tears of blood said to have been shed by the Virgin Mary. This beverage originated in the state of Guanajuato, maybe as long ago as the end of the sixteenth century. I found a few different variations, but this one seemed to be the most common, and it’s quite special. Although this beverage is customarily prepared during Lent for the festivities of Friday of Sorrows (the Friday before Good Friday), it’s a wonderful drink during fall, when beets and apples abound. This recipe makes a large batch to share at your next gathering.

With lots of fiber and slow-digesting carbs, these breakfast bowls won’t put you into a sugar coma.

Frozen berries, a dollop of peanut butter, and almond milk—plus a banana for creaminess and vanilla protein powder—blend into a delicious smoothie reminiscent of your favorite childhood lunchtime treat.

Pancakes made with bananas and almond butter? Enough said. Four eggs may seem like a lot, but they’re what give these sweet, nutty pancakes a light, crepe-like texture.

These super-moist and delicious cookies are made with a secret ingredient: banana!

These chewy, richly flavored fruit snacks are prepped in a matter of minutes, but they’ll take time in the oven, so plan ahead.

Wheat germ lends a good dose of vitamins to these delicious, kid-friendly muffins, while boosting the nutty flavor.

These moist, easy muffins rely on mashed bananas and flaked coconut for sublime texture and tropical-leaning flavor.

These yummy vegan cookies are free of butter, added sugar, and even eggs—the peanut butter and applesauce hold them together. But trust me when I say you won’t miss the sugar. The sweet banana and abundance of chocolate more than make up for it.

A thick stack of these flourless pancakes is a dream breakfast, especially when piled high with caramelized bananas, some extra maple syrup and a big dollop of crunchy almond butter.

Watching frozen bananas transform into ice cream—no sugar or dairy necessary—is like magic.

As any Disney Park fanatic can tell you, it’s not a visit to the Magic Kingdom without a helping of this tropical, dairy-free, soft-serve–like dessert. Now you can make magic at home.

Start by roasting your bananas in coconut oil, sugar, and salt until they caramelize. Then, make your vegan ice cream mixture using sugar, cocoa butter, coconut oil, coconut milk, and cashew milk. Combine it with your roasted bananas and add to your ice cream maker. The soft serve delight will be well worth the effort. 

The sweet aroma of almond and banana is the ultimate treat. This is a luxurious and delicious breakfast and is a real weekend favourite for me.