While grill is out, just go bananas

banana facts

Family Features

Bananas aren’t just for breakfast or lunch anymore. By grilling this popular fruit, you can add a whole new flavor dimension to a dinner time recipe and turn a basic dessert into something wow.

Adding bananas to your summer grilling routine is a fun way to eat fruit. You can grill them in their peels while the BBQ coals are still hot or add peeled slices to a tasty kabob — it’s that simple.

From kid-friendly desserts to grown-up dishes with a tropical twist, make it easy on yourself and go bananas on the grill.

For more Dole Banana recipes and serving suggestions, go to www.dole.com/bananas. To share banana recipes anytime, go to www.facebook.com/DOLEbananas.

Island Kabobs with Tropical Fruit Salsa

Preparation: 10 minutes

Grill Time: 10 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

2 ripe, firm Dole Æ Bananas, peeled, each cut into 6 pieces, plus 1 ripe Dole Banana, peeled and diced

12 chunks Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple

16 extra large or jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 green or red bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 mango, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 Dole Green Onion, minced

2 to 3 teaspoons minced jalape ±o pepper

Thread banana pieces, pineapple, shrimp and bell pepper pieces equally onto skewers.

Whisk together lime juice, oil and allspice in small bowl. Brush 2 table spoons over kabobs.

Combine remaining marinade with diced banana, mango, mint, green onion and jalape ±o pepper; place in a serving dish.

Grill kabobs over medium high heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or until the shrimp are opaque. Arrange the kabobs on top of the salsa.

Did you know?

With no fat, cholesterol or sodium, vitamin-packed bananas are a guilt-free summertime treat.

Banana peels are great for polishing shoes. Use (the inside of) an empty peel on your leather shoes as you would shoe polish and then buff off with a soft cloth. The banana’s oils soak into the leather and, like most commercial shoe polishes, contains potassium.

As bananas ripen, the starch in the fruit turns to sugar. Therefore, the riper the banana, the sweeter it will taste.

Ten or more bananas growing together are called “hands” and a single banana is called a “finger.” Four to six bananas sold in the store are called a “cluster.”

How to store bananas

Remove bananas from plastic produce bag and store at room temperature. The warmer it is, the faster the bananas will ripen.

To slow ripening, refrigerate (peel will turn black but the fruit inside will be fresh and ripe). Bananas can be frozen once the banana is peeled and stored in a freezer bag until ready to use (use a bit of fresh lemon juice to reduce browning).

If bananas are too green, place them in a brown paper bag, in a warm dry area (but not in direct sunlight) for a day or two to encourage ripening. If there is still not enough yellow appearing on the peel, place a ripe apple in the bag with the bananas.