The Metamorphosis of a Banana

I'm not exactly sure when this happened to me but at one point in my life I began to feel my stress level rise over the fruit bowl and the vegetable drawer in the fridge. When carefully trying to decipher what is still good to eat, what's still ok for the guinea pig and what is definitely not good for consumption I'm washed with guilt for the waste.   Slimy peppers and wet bags of green goop that I believe once was lettuce.  Quite disgusting as I slop them into the compost.  For me though, it's not the veggies, or the bruised up apple, or even the dried up plum that makes me feel as guilty as an overripe banana does.  In terms of the fruit bowl what is sadder than seeing a bruised up dejected banana?

Truthfully in our family the banana has a very short edible life.  For me it has to be just past the green stage.  It's ripe, but it's still firm.  I can thoroughly enjoy this dear fruit at this moment, soaking up all its potassium and goodness.  But mere hours from now, as it softens and slightly browns I can barely think of it without causing a gag reflex. 

I can't eat it but I can't bear to throw it out at this stage.   I guess it's just knowing the potential of this little guy.  I mean I could save it and repurpose it at this stage.  With my help it could be something incredible again - a gorgeous, golden top muffin, a moist slice of banana bread or any number of baked goods.  This is where the guilt comes in.  I have the power to remedy the situation just by baking a batch of muffins...but I rarely do.   Banana cake?...occasionally.  Usually though it stays there in the bowl until the very last moment, no recipe could save it from it's inevitable trip to the composter.

 Recently, I can proudly say I did save a banana from it's impending doom.  I made this amazing banana cake with a thick cream cheese frosting. Delish!

P.S. I know you can freeze a banana to use at a later time but this hasn't worked out so well for me yet.  I've done this only months later finding some ice encrusted glob of indeterminable brown substance in a squashed ziploc bag.   Maybe one day, when the freezer and it's contents are sorted and organized...one day.