Thanks to the Dead Milkmen, I've known for decades that you can smoke banana peels (I'm not sure it's wise to do so, but that's up to you). But did you know you can also eat banana peels? I had no idea, until recently. WebMD says they're safe to eat. And according to PopSci, banana peels are also both delicious and nutritious:
Given the proper application of heat, sauce and spices, these oft-discarded skins make a pretty darn good plant-based substitute for barbecue pulled-pork sandwiches. Believe it. The idea may not have caught on in the US yet, but people in Venezuela, India, and Southeast Asia have been cooking and eating banana peels for years. And not only are they edible, they're good for you, too: banana peels contain potassium, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium, and even protein.
Forbes also recently published an article declaring that banana peel cuisine is the "latest plant based trend," explaining that chefs all over the world are creating new dishes featuring banana skins:
At Aya Comfort Food in Brazil, patrons can enjoy 'Banana skin meat in the bread,' a "banana peel bacon" made with banana peel, peppers, onions and tomatoes in a crunchy bread. And for breakfast, vegan chef, Day Radley whips up a mean baked beans, tofu scramble and banana skin bacon sarnie. In the Netherlands, Banana Business' Pulled Peel is on the lunch menu at hotel/nature reserve, De Werelt, where it is served in a red beet wrap, with sweet and sour cucumber, onion and a herb dip.
So what other ways can you eat banana peels? Forbes highlights lots of different things companies and restaurants are doing with them, including creating banana peel "meat," snacks, rum, flour, bread, and tea. If you want to try making some dishes with them at home, here's a recipe for banana peel bacon, and one for banana peel vegan carnitas. Finally, here's a short video from Inhabitat, featuring Yuka Yoneda, who shows us how to make three different recipes with banana peels—an apple pie smoothie, pickled banana peels, and candied banana peels.
I have to say, I'm intrigued, but I'm not sure when or if I'll try cooking up some banana peels. I'm curious to know if any of you have tried them? If so, what did you think?
