When I was a wee youngster, I vaguely remember seeing a banana tree in our front yard.  I don’t think it lived very long because we had a tornado rip through our front yard and it tore up not only the bananas, but our pear and peach trees as well.  I now know that we never had a banana tree; we had a banana plant.  The banana plant is a tall, sturdy upright stem called a pseudostem.  Some types of these plants can make it up to 2-8 meters tall with their leaves reaching close to 3.5 meters in length!  Each pseudostem can hold a bunch of bananas before dying and needing to be replaced by another.

A hand, the cluster of bananas that grow hanging from the pseudostem, can contain up to 20 fruits per tier and 3-20 tiers to a bunch.  Both the skin and the inner fruit can be eaten raw or cooked.  Bananas provide your source of Vitamin B6, C and Potassium (great for muscle cramps!)  This fruit has the ability to grow in at least 107 countries! 

People in the Western culture think of the soft, sweet “dessert” banana, however plantains are bananas as well, with more of a firm, starchier texture.  Try bananas in desserts, dried as chips, or even use them when baking with banana flour!

Pina Paradise:  2 Cups Ice, 1oz. Torani Banana Puree Blend, 1oz. Torani Pina Colada Puree Blend, 4oz. Milk.

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie:  2 Cups Ice, 1oz. Torani Banana Puree Blend, 1oz. Torani Strawberry Puree Blend, 4oz. Milk.

Peachy Banana Smoothie:  2 Cups Ice, 1oz. Torani Banana Puree Blend, 1oz. Torani Peach Puree Blend, 4oz. Milk.

*Blend ingredients in blender until smooth.  Yields one 16oz. drink.  Add real bananas for a fruity creamy drink!

ENJOY!!

**For Blended drinks, use the best of the best when it comes to blenders...VITA MIX of course!  Check out the Professional Series.  (I WANT ONE!)