Contents:

• Where did the idea for banana flour come from?
• What properties does banana flour have?
• What can you use banana flour for?

Banana flour is made from so-called vegetable bananas, also known as plane trees. They belong to the same family as bananas but are classified as vegetables rather than fruits. They have an intense green color and are larger than bananas. This not-yet-fully known banana flour can be a great substitute for gluten-containing flour for people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Due to its high potassium, fiber, and starch content, it's also worth incorporating into your diet.

Where did the idea for banana flour come from?

Although banana flour isn't yet popular, its origins date back to the 1970s. However, its fundamental advantage is worth mentioning: it's gluten-free and can be incorporated into the popular Paleo diet. In the aforementioned 1970s, a gastroenterologist named Walter Voegtlin developed and began promoting the idea of ​​returning to the roots of eating food as it was eaten by people in the Paleolithic era. Bananas were a particularly valuable source of carbohydrates during this time.

What properties does banana flour have?

Plantains are high in potassium and fiber and also have a relatively low glycemic index. The flour has a neutral flavor and a beige-gray color. It can be used in both sweet pastries and savory dishes. It's also suitable for thickening sauces and liquids, including cocktails, as it can be eaten raw and without heat treatment. Banana flour is very efficient—because it contains a lot of starch, less of it is used than regular flour, so dishes don't become too hard. Banana flour is especially recommended for people who:

• want to lower cholesterol levels in the blood,
• struggling with diabetes,
• follow a reducing diet,
• want to support the proper function of the nervous and muscular systems,
• They work to improve mental well-being, which is supported by the presence of 5-hydroxytryptophan with antidepressant properties.

What can you use banana flour for?

Due to its neutral flavor, banana flour is suitable for both sweet and savory dishes. Because it dissolves easily in liquids and can be eaten raw, it can be used to thicken smoothies and fruit mousses. You can also use it as an alternative to any other type of flour, including:

Pancake,

• waffles,
• dumplings,
• Pancake,
• bread,
• Cake,
• for thickening soups and sauces.

Quick and easy apple pancakes

• Banana flour 100 g
• small apples – 2 pcs.
• Egg - 1 pc.
• Cow's or plant milk – 200 ml
• Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
• Sugar/ Xylitol - 1 teaspoon

Grate the apples on a fine-mesh grater, then add all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fry the pancakes in a pan with a little oil for a few minutes until browned on both sides. Serve the pancakes with whipped cream, maple syrup, and fruit.

Gluten-free chocolate cake

• Banana flour 200 g
• Eggs – 4 pieces
• Cocoa 2 tbsp
• Xylitol – 3 tbsp
• Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
• clarified butter – 3 tbsp
• Apple cider vinegar – 2 teaspoons
• Coconut milk – 2 tablespoons
• Blueberries
• Oil or butter and breadcrumbs to prepare the mold

Flour should be combined with cocoa, baking powder, and xylitol. Mix all the wet ingredients except the coconut milk separately, then gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring constantly. Add the coconut milk at the very end, when the other ingredients are well blended. The batter should resemble muffin batter. Place the blueberries in a buttered or oiled and breadcrumb-coated pan and pour the batter over the batter. Bake the cake at 175°C for about half an hour.