Banana Peels – Are They Edible?

Photos/ Auður Helgadóttir

Translation: Julie Summers 

In most people’s kitchens, a lot of perfectly edible food ends up in the trash. I’ve recently discovered banana peels. You’re probably rolling your eyes and thinking that you would never eat a banana peel. I was also skeptical at first; I mean, we’ve always just eaten the inside of the banana! But let me show you how to use the peel. Being able to use every part of an ingredient is always a good thing, especially for those of us who don’t have a compost bin (myself included). To reduce waste and save money, you can set aside those peels you’d normally throw away and use them to make a variety of dishes. Just like the inside of the banana, the peels are full of nutrients, so it’s high time we learned how to use them. Banana peels can be used to make pancakes, casseroles, vegan “bacon” strips, and a vegan imitation of a pulled pork sandwich. There are all sorts of recipes available online, which I encourage you to check out. This “pulled banana” sandwich is delicious, quick to make, and perfect for lunch or dinner. Next time you have some banana peels lying around, try this recipe instead of throwing them in the trash. Bon appétit!

Serves 2

,,Pulled banana“ (vegan pulled pork)

Ingredients

4 banana peels

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp liquid smoke (or smoked paprika)

2 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp chili powder (or cayenne pepper)

1 Tbsp cumin

4 Tbsp BBQ sauce

2 hamburger buns

Suggested toppings:

Coleslaw

Vegan mayonnaise

Sliced pickles

1.     Start by peeling the bananas and trimming both ends. Make sure you remove any stickers from the peels before using them.

2.     Use a spoon to remove any meat clinging to the peels, as shown in the photo.

3.     Shred the peels into strips using a fork.

Photos/ Auður Helgadóttir

4.     Place the strips in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix together liquid smoke (or smoked paprika), olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder (or cayenne pepper), and cumin.

5.     Pour the spiced oil mixture over the peels and stir until well covered.

6.     Heat a small amount of oil in a pan. When hot, add the banana peels and sauté on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they’ve cooked down a bit.

7.     Next, add the barbecue sauce to the pan and let the mixture simmer until thick and almost caramelized.

8.     Warm the hamburger buns in the oven on low heat. Once they’re ready, all that’s left to do is assemble the sandwiches!

9.     Spread vegan mayonnaise on both halves of the bun, pile coleslaw on one side, and add the barbecue-banana peel deliciousness. If you like, you can also add sliced pickles. Top with the other half of the bun, and voilà! Enjoy!