Banana Lovers Day: Our Banana Plant . What do you do with over 100 Bananas Check out the Banana Muffins

This is one of our Banana Plants. It is ready to be harvested. How do we know it is ready - check the bananas and see if any have turned yellow. If so, it is ready. 

Cutting the Banana Bunch
Be careful. The Bunch is Heavy.

John has taken on the challenge to

bring the bananas to the kitchen.

Once we placed the bananas on the table, we weighed them. To our surprise they weighed 72.8 pounds, and there were over 100 bananas. I stopped counting.

What do I do with over 100 bananas?

First, we divided the bunch into 4 sections. One for my family, two for my extended family, and one for a church.

I decided to make banana muffins
 (some with chocolate chips)

Banana Muffins

Ingredients
Makes 12 muffins.
4 bananas, about 1 ⅓ cups, mashed
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Grease a muffin pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mash bananas in a mixing bowl. Add egg, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir.
4. Stir in melted butter.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans and bake for about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information
1 Muffin

126 Calories (kcal)
3 Protein (g)
26 Carbohydrates (g)  
3 Total Dietary Fiber (g)
10 Total Sugars (g) 
5 Added Sugar (g)
2 Fat (g) 
1 Saturated Fat (g)
18 Cholesterol (mg)
208 Sodium (mg) 

Notes

• For variety, add chocolate chips, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Use your imagination.
• To freeze: Allow muffins to cool completely. Store them in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or air-tight container

August 31, National Trail Mix Day The Food Label Detective: Emerald Trail Mix

*FDA 21 CFR 101.9 Nutrition labeling of food. FDA regulation allows manufacturers to round a number of servings to the nearest 0.5 serving, as long as they use the term “about”. Serving size is based on RACC = Reference Amount Customarily Consumed per Eating Occasion.

One Serving Size: 1oz (28g)

130 calories per Serving

Package Size: Net Wt. 2.25 oz (63.8g)

About 2 Servings per package

Findings
Actual Serving per Package = 2.3
299 Calories per Package

Read the Label; an Educated Consumer has the knowledge
to make the Best Choices.

August 19 - World Humanitarian Day - Inspire Humanitarian Work Around the World

This year’s focus salutes the efforts of women humanitarian workers across the world who rally to people in need and are often the first to respond and the last to leave.

“From supporting civilians caught up in crisis to addressing disease outbreaks, women humanitarians are on the front lines”, said Secretary-General António Guterres.

These unsung heroes have long been working in their own communities in some of the most difficult terrains – from the war-wounded in Afghanistan to the food insecure in the Sahel, to those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in places such as Central African Republic, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

“Their presence makes aid operations more effective by increasing their reach”, said the UN chief. “It also improves the humanitarian response to gender-based violence, which increases during emergencies”.

Across the globe, 250,000 aid workers are women – a figure that amounts to more than 40 percent of the humanitarian workforce. But aid work is becoming increasingly dangerous.

Since August 2003, more than 4,500 aid workers of all genders have been killed, injured, detained, assaulted or kidnapped while carrying out their work. That averages out to five attacks per week.

Moreover, women humanitarians are at particularly high risk of robbery, sexual assault, and other violence.

World Humanitarian Day is a time to recognize those who face danger and adversity in order to help others. The day was designated by the General Assembly to coincide with the anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 UN staff. 

Natural disasters, conflicts, and other emergencies threaten the lives and health of millions of people every year. In the middle of such crises, thousands of dedicated humanitarian workers strive to care for those who have been affected and support local authorities to deliver assistance. On World Humanitarian Day, WHO and other international bodies are highlighting the roles performed by humanitarian workers and remembering aid workers who have been killed or injured while performing their vital roles. 

World Humanitarian Day offers the chance:

· for the public to learn more about the humanitarian community, what aid workers do and the challenges they face;

· for nongovernmental and international bodies and UN agencies, to demonstrate their humanitarian activities;

· to pay respect to those who have died or been injured in the course of their humanitarian work.

To show your support for World Humanitarian Day visit  http://worldhumanitarianday.org/