National Banana Day Interview and Recipes

Smashed Banana Toast with Bacon and Poached Egg

Makes 4
Prep 10 mins
Cooking time 15 mins

Ingredients
4 fresh eggs
2 rashers rindless bacon, chopped
4 Banana's (Lady Finger or Cavendish)
4 thick slices grain bread, toasted
Micro herbs, to serve

Method
To poach the eggs; half fill a saucepan with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Crack 1 egg onto a saucer. Slide egg into the water then stir the water to form a gentle whirlpool until the egg starts to float. Repeat with remaining egg. Simmer, without stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a clean tea towel.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring often for 2-3 minutes until light golden. Drain on paper towel.
Peel and roughly smash the bananas with a fork. Spoon the banana onto the toast. Sprinkle over the bacon and top with poached egg. Season. Scatter with micro herbs. Serve.

Tip if you're partial to chilli, a sprinkling of chilli flakes is delicious on top.

Top 5 Quirky Banana Facts:
There are more than 500 varieties of bananas, most commonly grown in Australia are Cavendish and Lady Fingers.
At over 10,000 years old, bananas are the world's oldest fruit – that's about five times older than the Colosseum in Italy, or the Parthenon in Greece.
Bananas are composed of 75% water – that's even more than the human body, which is 60% water.
Best fruit source of vitamin B6 that assists the formation of red blood cells and certain brain chemicals.
Bananas are always bent due to a phenomenon known as geotropism - once developed, instead of growing towards the ground, bananas turn towards the sun.

Milo Weet-Bix Banana Loaf

Serves 8
Prep 15 mins
Cooking time 50 mins

Ingredients
2 cups self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ cup raw sugar
½ cup Milo
1/2 cup crushed Weet-Bix
2 large Cavendish Banana's
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Extra sliced banana and sprinkling cinnamon sugar, to serve

Method
Preheat oven 170°C fan forced. Grease and line 7cm deep, 13.5x24cm (base measurement) loaf pan. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, Milo and Weet-Bix Coarsely mash the bananas. Add to the flour with the milk and eggs. Stir gently to combine.
Spoon into loaf pan and smooth the surface. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Stand 5 minutes in the pan before lifting onto a wire rack to cool.
Slice and serve topped with extra sliced banana and sprinkling cinnamon sugar.

Tip You need 1 cup mashed banana, if the bananas are small you may need 3 or 4
Tip The loaf is delicious toasted and served warm with butter and sliced banana.
Tip The loaf freezes well, making it ideal for the lunch box. Wrap slices in plastic then in foil and place into a snap lock bag. It will freeze for up to 6 weeks.

Interview with Susie Burrell, Australian Bananas Ambassador

Question: Why do you love bananas?

Susie Burrell: For many reasons - one is that they are a naturally sweet, low calorie natural food that you can find plus they are easily transportable with their own carry case. My twins also love them especially my older twin who will not start his day without a banana (he would eat five if I let him) plus I love to bake and bananas are one of my favourite ingredients for naturally sweet muffins and cakes.


Question: How will you be celebrating National Banana Day?

Susie Burrell: There will definitely be a special recipe in there I will bake but I will also be out and about spreading the word about how fabulous bananas are.


Question: What do you hope to achieve through National Banana Day?

Susie Burrell: Help to share the positive nutritional benefits bananas offer, many people are completely unaware of such as their role in promoting gut health and acting as the perfect energy food for busy active people.


Question: In the past bananas had a bad reputation as being a high-carb fruit; can you debunk this myth?

Susie Burrell: It is important to know that naturally occurring sugars are very different to added sugars in-processed foods and overall a banana contains fewer than 100 calories and less than 20g of sugars which is pretty low in the big scheme of things.


Question: Can you talk us through the nutrients and health benefits of the banana?

Susie Burrell: Bananas offer carbohydrates for energy, fibre for fullness and gut health, magnesium and potassium for healthy muscles and a range of the key vitamins required for energy production in the body making them the perfect nutrient rich energy food.


Question: How do you use bananas, daily?

Susie Burrell: I start my day with a banana before my workout as do my twins and it is a frequently used ingredient in my favourite baked goods.

Australian Bananas Encourages Aussies To Make Their Body Sing With First Ever National Banana Day

Australians set to pay homage to their favourite fruit

Australians are set to celebrate the nation's favorite snack with Australian Bananas announcing the first ever National Banana Day, which will take place on 1 May 2019.

The celebration of all things na-na has been launched to support hard-working Aussie growers who provide the nation with one of the most nutrient rich, naturally sourced products available.

The Australian banana farming industry is vast, with more than 12,000 Aussies involved in the production of bananas across the country. The tropical banana-growing regions of northern Queensland, particularly Tully and Innisfail, produce more than 90% of the nation's most iconic yellow fruit, supplying Australians across the country with a staggering 5 million bananas every day!

This year, it is expected that Australia will produce 359,000 tonnes of bananas, contributing an estimated $1.3 billion to the local economy. Leading dietitian and Australian Bananas ambassador, Susie Burrell said, she was excited to be part of the celebrations on May 1st.

"Australian Bananas have a wide range of nutritional benefits – packed with natural carbohydrates, vitamin B6 and potassium, making them ideal in combating muscle fatigue and enhancing optimal brain function," she said.

"They provide 15% of your daily B6 needs which are vital for nerve function.

"As they are high in fibre and have a low GI, bananas are the perfect snack to give Australians long-lasting energy. So, make sure you grab a banana on May 1".

Hort Innovation Marketing Lead, Elisa King said, "Australian Bananas are encouraging all Aussies to 'Peel Good, Feel Good' on May 1 by grabbing a banana from their nearest store.

"Supporting Australian growers is important to fostering the industry and ensuring we continue to provide Australians with the highest quality produce," she said.

"National Banana Day symbolises this support. We hope Aussies will continue to reap the benefits of bananas, grown in our own backyard."

Interview by Brooke Hunter