Home cooking: 'Banatella' ice cream dessert (6 April 2015)

Easy as blending

Here's a very simple yet yummy idea for anyone that has a Thermomix although I'm hoping a decent result can be achieved in a food processor or with a stick blender. Blend some frozen banana with a good dollop of Nutella to taste. Makes a yummy ice cream style dessert. For that Easter touch a MaltEaster will do the trick. So glad I have a friend that loves using their Thermomix. 

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Very easy to make, No cooking involved, I reckon it's guilt free considering most of it is banana

CONS: Need a Thermomix unless something similar will do the trick

MUST TRY: Making at home with a normal blender or stick blender

VERDICT: So easy to make and the end result is pretty yummy

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The Big Banana: Bananas $4.50 per kg and a Banana Split sugar fix, Coffs Harbour (9 Oct 2011)

351 Pacific Hwy, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450

Open daily from 9 am – 4:30 pm

http://www.bigbanana.com

Cheaper than Sydney bananas

If you're heading up the coast and you're a keen banana eater like myself then you'll want to be stopping into the very touristy The Big Banana. I've been paying around $10-$12 for bananas at the moment when I feel like a splurge so I was pretty amazed to see quality bananas here for only $4.50/kg. I soon started thinking how many kilos I could stack in the car to bring back to Sydney and sell for a huge profit. The Banana smoothie ($5.50) was nicely flavoured and creamy and large enough to share if you want to fit in some Banana Split ($6.95) which comes with both vanilla and banana ice cream, cream, peanuts and of course banana — yummo. On the way back from my trip to Byron Bay I stopped in again but it had just closed so I missed out on trying the Chocolate coated bananas ($3.95 each) — hopefully next time. I noticed they now sell some local produce so you can stock up on more than just bananas.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Much cheaper bananas than Sydney at the moment, Good quality, Supporting local fruit growers, There's a candy store on site for extra sugar hit

CONS: 9 hours away from Sydney, Decor needs a bit of an overhaul, Limited menu

MUST TRY: Finding the cheapest good quality bananas in Sydney

WORTH TRYING: Banana smoothie, Banana Split

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$4.50 for bananas while Sydney still around the $8–12 mark. My two bananas cost 90 cents!

Banana smoothie ($5.50)

WORTH TRYING :-)

Banana split ($6.95) — comes with vanilla and banana ice cream

WORTH TRYING :-)

Dessert and drinks menu

Local fruit for sale

Specials of the day including local oysters

Service counter

Seating inside

Seating outside

Every tourist stop has a gift shop, that's for sure

Slightly scary banana dolls

No food or drink but pet monkeys are OK

Fun yet dated graphics

Get your photo in front of The Big Banana like millions have done before


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Bananas: So how much are you paying for your potassium these days?, Sydney (20 Apr 2011)

Corner Martin Place & Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Going bananas over price

If you’re an avid banana eater like myself then you must be paying a premium price for your bananas at the moment as a result of the Queensland flooding earlier this year and Cyclone Yasi hasn’t helped as well. I noticed that Royal Randwick Fruit Market is selling bananas for around $14.99/kg while the fruit stand at the top of Martin Place today has them for $2.50 each which sounds really expensive but actually works out to be cheaper at about $5-$7/kg depending on the size of banana available.

Interesting fact: Did you know that bananas are naturally slightly radioactive?

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Easy to eat as a snack on the run, Packed with lots of vitamins

CONS: Really expensive at the moment

MUST TRY: Finding the cheapest and best bananas in Sydney

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Martin Place Fruit Stand

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My first bite of the New Year (1 Jan 2011)

Breakfast fuel for a new year

Like most days of the year the first thing I usually have for breakfast is a banana. Simple, filling and packed with good vitamins to start the day. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years Eve/Day celebration and aren't nursing awful headaches. I'm looking forward to my first swim of the New Year later today which is usually followed by a not so healthy fish and chips and then some fun bocce — tradition continues.

Happy Eating New Year

Simon :-)