It is that time again. You bought bananas and they left again. They are overripe and with all those brown spots on, no one should have them anymore. No worries. In all seasons you can make delicious banana jam with ripe bananas. How about bananas with strawberry? Or bananas with rhubarb? Or the most child-friendly jam: bananas with chocolate. The advantage is: you run out of bananas and jam can be stored for a long time. Moreover, bananas are very healthy due to the many minerals and vitamins. So, don’t hesitate: get started!
Make tasty jam from ripe bananas
Ripe bananas. They look dull with their brown tips and many people are horrified by that creamy paste inside. No worries. You can make delicious jam with ripe bananas. You might think “squash, that’s going to be very sweet and slippery”, but it’s either trying to make the jam or throwing the bananas in the trash. You will be pleasantly surprised if you try to make jam with bananas. Banana jam is delicious and you can vary endlessly. Ripe bananas contain fast sugars, so it’s also more diet-friendly than many high-calorie snacks. Moreover, this jam is ready in no time, because bananas melt in the jam pan. And it is something different from the traditional red fruit jam.
Jam for all seasons
Another advantage of this jam is that you can make them in all seasons because you can vary it so much. Banana and chocolate can also be used in the winter. But you can also mix orange and ginger with the bananas, for example. This way you get a delicious jar of jam with a different taste every time in winter. The hassles are over because nobody eats the bought bananas.
Eat a lot of bananas, bananas are healthy
Bananas have many benefits and are very healthy.
Vitamins
The advantage is that bananas are also full of vitamins. Bananas contain vitamin B6 and magnesium. Vitamin B6 allows you to sleep better and magnesium allows your muscles to relax. Furthermore, a banana is full of fiber. In combination with vitamin B6, eating bananas therefore reduces the risk of type II diabetes. The vitamins A in the banana will improve your vision and people with night blindness will also see a significant improvement. You can also find vitamins C in the banana. Vitamins C help with the absorption of iron and build up your resistance.
Energy
They give energy. A banana is a real power snack. If you exercise, you can eat bananas without any problems. A banana contains about 5 grams of fast sugars, ideal for immediate energy needs. In addition, a banana consists of 20% slow carbohydrates, which ensure that you are provided with energy for a few hours.
Anti-depressants
Bananas drive away depression. Bananas are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which is converted by the body into serotonin. Serotonin is a “feel good” neurotransmitter that occurs in the brain and improves your mood, suppresses your appetite and even soothes pain stimuli.
Low in calories
An average banana contains about 110 calories. Compared to other fruits this is quite a lot, but compared to biscuits or chips it is better to eat a banana as a snack. The advantage of the banana is that it contains zero grams of fat. Moreover, bananas are filling, so that you are less likely to eat or snack a lot afterwards.
Blood pressure lowering effect
Eating bananas lowers blood pressure due to the high potassium content and the low sodium content.
Good for the bones
Thanks to the many minerals that the banana contains, including phosphorus, magnesium and potassium, a banana is also very healthy for the bones. Good for the teeth and good for people suffering from osteoporosis.
Strawberry banana jam
Ingredients
- 1 kilo of strawberries
- 500 grams of bananas
- 1 kilo of jam sugar
Preparation
Wash the strawberries and cut them into pieces. Peel the banana and cut it into pieces. Crush the banana with a fork or mix if you don’t like pieces in the jam. Put both fruits in the jam pan. Once it has come to the boil, add the jam sugar. Bring back to the boil. Then let it boil for another four minutes. Put jam in clean glass jars. Fill jar well, up to the brim. Screw on the lid. Flip pots. Ready!
Banana rhubarb jam
Rhubarb is one of those fruits that many people are not fond of eating raw. The sour taste and weird feeling on the teeth repel many people. But once cooked and prepared, rhubarb is certainly tasty and healthy. It is an excellent combination with bananas. On the one hand the sweetness of the banana, on the other the sourness of the rhubarb.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo of rhubarb
- 500 grams of bananas
- 1 kilo of jam sugar
Preparation
Clean the rhubarb. Cut it into small pieces and remove the strands and peel. Put the rhubarb in the jam pan and let it boil. Meanwhile, crush or mix the peeled and chopped banana for a smooth mass. Add to the rhubarb. Add the jam sugar and bring back to the boil. Let it boil for four minutes and then put the jam in clean glass jars. Fill the jars well to the brim. Cover on. After a while the lid will say “pop”.
Banana chocolate jam
Yummy! Bananas with chocolate. Who doesn’t love this now? But during the week, when things have to go fast, there is often no time for this kind of mess. The solution: chocolate and banana in a jar! Mum happy, kids happy!
Ingredients
- the juice of three lemons or two lemons and an orange (sweeter)
- 500 grams of bananas
- chocolate seeds or grated dark chocolate or fondant sprinkles
- 500 grams of jam sugar
Preparation
Squeeze the three lemons. Possibly two lemons and an orange if you are a sweet tooth. Put the juice in the jam pan together with the jam sugar. Let it boil. Meanwhile, crush or mix the bananas with a fork. Add the bananas to the lemon juice and the jam sugar. Let it boil. Add the chocolate at the last moment and stir lightly. Put immediately in the clean glass jars. Fill well to the brim. Cover on. You will now get a marbled jam because of the chocolate that has melted a little.
Variant: you can also mix the chocolate completely under the banana, but then you get a dark red paste that no longer indicates that there is chocolate in the preparation. Less spectacular and less fun for the kids.
This jam is the favorite of all children. Bananas with chocolate. Not normally during the week, but on a sandwich as jam it is allowed every day.
Vary!
Got a taste for it? Vary and experiment yourself: with oranges, raspberries, cinnamon, vanilla, a dash of rum, pineapple, apricots, ginger, kiwi, mango, you can’t think of it! Banana goes with just about everything!
You can eat banana jam on a sandwich, on a piece of cake, on a pancake or you can use the jam in a cake. Eat it once opened within three weeks! Tasty!
