Bananas are low in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol. Bananas are great for a quick snack on the go or just about any time. The good news is if bananas start to go bad, you can freeze them for later use in a cake or muffin recipe so they will never go to waste. Here are some good banana recipes for you:

Banana Chocolate Tart

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

5 tablespoons margarine

1/3 cup plus ½ tab sugar

½ tsp salt

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream

1½ Tbl dark rum

6 firm bananas

¼ cup apricot preserves

Preheat oven to 350°

Blend crumbs, margarine, 1/3 cup sugar and salt in a food processor until mixture begins to hold together. Then pat onto bottom and up the side of a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake in the middle of the oven until side of crust is firm to the touch; about 14-18 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate chips into hot crust and let stand five minutes to soften. Spread evenly over bottom of crust. Beat cream with remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar and mix rum in until it holds soft peaks. Cut bananas into ¼ inch thick slices. Whisk preserves and add bananas, tossing to coat. Spoon banana mixture into crust and top with whipped cream.

Frozen Banana Bites

2 large bananas

¼-1/3 chocolate chips

¼-1/3 peanut butter

Coconut flakes

Set out a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper. Cut up bananas into good sized chunks. Each banana should give you around 5-6 pieces. Heat the peanut butter and the chocolate chips in the microwave on high for about one minute. Stir until smooth. Dip the banana pieces in the chocolate peanut butter mixture. Lay them out leaving some space between them. When you have covered all of them use the remaining mixture to spoon over the tops. Then sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Transfer to the freezer for an hour to harden. I cover mine with plastic wrap or put into a Ziplock container and let freeze overnight.

Banana Ice Cream

3 egg whites

3 ripe bananas

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat whites until stiff. In another bowl mix together the mashed bananas, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Add the banana mixture to the egg whites. Put into a plastic container and freeze.

Can be served with brownies or by itself. Yummy. This recipe also works for Pesach.

Banana Muffins

1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

1½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1 large egg

½ cup margarine melted

¼ cup milk

¾ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with foil muffin liners. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Mix mashed bananas, egg, melted butter and milk in medium bowl. Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients just until blended (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake muffins until tops are pale golden and tester inserted into center comes out with some melted chocolate attached but no crumbs, about 32 minutes. Transfer muffins to rack; cool.

Gail Hochman has been a resident of Bergen County for over 30 years and has been blessed with many grandchildren.

By Gail Hochman