Tag Archives: fruit

A Bunch of Banana Tips and Snack Ideas to Sweeten Any Day

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Bananas are not just a delicious and versatile fruit; they also have the power to fuel your runs and workouts plus brighten up your day in unexpected ways. Whether you’re a banana lover or just looking for some fun, practical tips, these ideas will bring a smile to your face. Let’s dive into five banana tips that will leave you grinning from ear to ear!

1) Write a Clever Note on the Peel to Make a Banana Lover’s Day

Sometimes, it’s the small gestures that make the biggest impact. Before sending someone off with a banana, why not add a little personalized note right on the peel? Use a pen to gently inscribe a sweet message, or even a funny doodle. Whether it’s a motivational quote, a simple “Have a great day!” or an inside joke, this tiny touch can turn an ordinary snack into a delightful surprise.

Here are some romantic banana-inspired message ideas:

  • I find you a-peeling!
  • Let’s monkey around!
  • I’m bananas for you!
  • Love you a bunch!
  • Let’s never split!

2) Slow Down Ripening with a Simple Trick

Ever bought a bunch of bananas only to watch them go from perfectly ripe to overly brown in what feels like minutes? A simple way to slow down the ripening process is to wrap the stems in plastic food wrap. This trick works by trapping the ethylene gas that bananas naturally release, which is responsible for ripening. If you’re feeling a bit extra, there are even adorable reusable Nana Hats that do the job just as well while adding a fun touch to your fruit display (see my watermelon one in the video).

3) Get Dicey: How to Cut the Perfect Banana Topping for Breakfast: Here’s a morning routine hack for you! Instead of slicing bananas the usual way, try dicing them into small cubes, while still in the skin. This cross-hatch dicing technique is perfect for topping your oatmeal, yogurt, or cereal – or to stir into pancake batter. The small pieces are easier to mix in and give you a delightful burst of banana in every bite.

4) Freeze Chocolate-Covered Banana Slices for a Healthy Treat: Craving something sweet but trying to stay on the healthier side? Try slicing up some bananas and dipping them in melted chocolate. Freeze the slices for a few hours, and you’ll have a delicious, guilt-free treat that satisfies your sweet tooth. These frozen delights are perfect for a quick snack, dessert, or even as a fun treat to share with friends and family. You can also get creative by adding a sprinkle of sea salt, popped amaranth or quinoa, or chopped nuts before freezing. Check out my Crispy Chocolate Banana Bites recipe.

Treat your sweet tooth to this healthy snack - a sugar-free crispy chocolate inspired by a Nestle Crunch bar, nut butter and banana slices! Prep a batch and store in the freezer. Gluten-free and only 84 cal per piece

5) Create a Peanut Butter Banana Sundae for the Ultimate Banana Snack: Bananas and peanut butter (or other nut and/or seed butters you prefer) are a match made in heaven, and this sundae takes it to the next level. Start by slicing a banana lengthwise and spreading a generous layer of peanut butter on top. Add your favorite toppings—think granola, chocolate chips, or a drizzle of honey—and you’ve got yourself a smart and satisfying snack. Whether you enjoy it as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or a post-workout treat, this peanut butter banana sundae is sure to hit the spot.

Enjoy these banana tips, and don’t forget to share the joy with others! Whether you’re adding a bit of fun to someone’s day or treating yourself to a healthy snack, bananas are here to make life a little sweeter.

Delicious Red Fruit Salad with Lime-Honey-Mint Dressing

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Summer is the perfect time to indulge in fresh, vibrant, and healthy dishes, and nothing screams summer more than a refreshing fruit salad. Add a pop of bold color to your table with a  red fruit salad, made up of the summer’s best season – watermelon, strawberries, cherries and raspberries.

This beautiful fruit salad -- featuring red raspberries, strawberries, watermelon and cherries – will be the star of your summer celebration. The Honey Lime Mint dressing is super easy to make and adds a flavorful upgrade to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Not only is a salad of red fruit visually stunning, it’s also packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and a burst of natural sweetness. The easy Lime-Honey-Mint Dressing enhances the sweetness with a bright tang of citrus – no need to dirty another dish, I just mix it up in the bottom of my serving dish and then toss around after adding fruit before serving.

This beautiful fruit salad -- featuring red raspberries, strawberries, watermelon and cherries – will be the star of your summer celebration. The Honey Lime Mint dressing is super easy to make and adds a flavorful upgrade to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

A fun way to prep the salad is in a large, wide-mouth mason jar – keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Then dump into a bowl before serving, the dressing on the bottom ends up on top!!  Perfect for a summer patio meal, pool party or pot luck!

This beautiful fruit salad -- featuring red raspberries, strawberries, watermelon and cherries – will be the star of your summer celebration. The Honey Lime Mint dressing is super easy to make and adds a flavorful upgrade to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
This beautiful fruit salad -- featuring red raspberries, strawberries, watermelon and cherries – will be the star of your summer celebration. The Honey Lime Mint dressing is super easy to make and adds a flavorful upgrade to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
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Red Fruit Salad with Lime-Honey-Mint Dressing
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
This beautiful fruit salad — featuring red raspberries, strawberries, watermelon and cherries – will be the star of your summer celebration. Super easy to make, so also perfect for lazy days or busy night meals.
Course: Dessert, entree salad, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword: cherries, fruit salad, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Dressing:
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 ½ Tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh mint leaves
  • Fruit 4 cups total, can vary a bit
  • ¾ cup raspberries
  • ¾ cup halved and pitted cherries
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 1 ½ cup watermelon cubes 1/2” cut
Instructions

  1. In bottom of glass jar that holds 4 cups or a medium serving bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice and chopping fresh mint.

  2. When ready to add raspberries, halved and pitted cherries, sliced strawberries, and chopped watermelon to bowl and gently toss to coat with dressing.
  3. Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to two days.

  • 1 ½ cup watermelon cubes 1/2” cut

Instructions

How To Hull Strawberries with a Straw: Healthy Snack Hack

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Hulling a strawberry with a straw is a simple and effective method to remove the stem and the flavorless core. It’s quick, easy and efficient — especially if you are preparing a bunch of strawberries at once for a fruit tray, summer snack, or as an ingredient for recipes. Also, this strawberry hack is safe for kids — no knife needed and they will have lots of fun with the ‘chore’.

Lean how to hull a strawberry quickly and efficiently with this food prep hack that just uses a drinking straw! No knife, so safe for kids to help out making recipes and snacks.

What you need: Fresh strawberries and a straw. A sturdy straw works best, such as a metal straw or a reusable plastic straw). Even a higher-quality disposable straw (like from fast food) will work — but a paper straw will definitely NOT hold up.

HOW TO HULL STRAWBERRIES WITH A STRAW

  • Wash berries under cool water to remove dirt and pesticides.
  • Hold strawberry with one hand, straw with the other.
  • Insert straw into bottom of berry, directly opposite of the stem.
  • Push and/or gently wiggle straw upwards to effectively remove core and stem in one motion.
  • Pull out straw, which also removes core/stem.
  • Pull stem out of straw and repeat with remaining strawberries. Compost or toss away this part.
  • Sometimes on bigger berries, a bit of leafy section will remain. Just nip that off with a paring knife.

By following these strawberry prep steps, you’ll have perfectly hulled strawberries ready for your recipes or as a healthy snack! Washed, dried, and hulled strawberries should remain fresh for about a week if stored in an air-tight container lined with paper towels. I find the paper towels help help soak up any additional moisture and lengthen the storage time.

SIX STRAWBERRY RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

Six healthy strawberry recipes you'll love all summer and beyond

Strawberry Cottage Cheese Protein Waffles

No-bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bomb for One

Spicy-Sweet Strawberry Radish Salsa on Wedge Salad

Strawberry, Cucumber & Sugar Snap Salad with Blue Cheese

Strawberry Seed Pizza

Strawberry Tart with Paleo Crust

Sweet Smiles: Watermelon is a Happy Fruit

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This post is sponsored by National Watermelon Promotion Board.

There are no bad vibes in my book when it comes watermelon. Watermelon is a happy fruit! It’s refreshing, hydrating, sweet, a source of beneficial energy for my runs and workouts – and at the root of a bumper crop of my life’s joyful moments and everyday positive experiences.

Watermelon Slice of Happy Project

If I had to name one food that made me feel all-around happy, it would most definitely be WATERMELON! And, based on the juice dripping off all y’all’s chins, I know I’m not alone in that jumbo-sized declaration of love. In fact, a recent study funded by NWPB*, found that 100% of consumers say that watermelon makes them feel happy.

What did people say when I asked them, “Does watermelon make you happy?”

And, 81% felt like watermelon was a comfort food. I’m like “heck yeah” to that stat – not many comfort foods have just 80 calories per two-cup serving, not to mention zero fat, and a host of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. Check the USDA Nutrition Facts for the exact breakdown.

Additionally, the study revealed that 82% of respondents felt that watermelon boosted their mood. Just last year, I shared a post about How Watermelon Can Boost Mood. My reasons included: 1) high water content in watermelon supports overall wellness; 2) 25% Daily Value of vitamin C, per serving, supports tissue growth and recovery; 3) watermelon can be used as “equipment” in your workout and exercise is a good way to lift your mood; 4) watermelon is perfectly sized for sharing and showing care toward others – that’s intrinsically satisfying; 5) and watermelon can be a dessert that is unrefined and naturally sweet – a smart choice that still makes you smile!

Learn the ways watermelon can boost your mood and help you feel happy.
Also, I always feel happy knowing that, in addition to feeding my family a wholesome food that I am making an economical selection in the produce department. Pound-for-pound, ounce-for-ounce, a watermelon has the biggest bang for the buck – and you can eat the entire watermelon, including flesh, juice, seeds and rind!

A few happy and creative recipes I’ve made using bits and pieces of the watermelon that might otherwise have been discarded are:
Cinnamon Churro Watermelon Rind Fries recipe

Cinnamon Churro Watermelon Rind Fries – Take the leftover rind, slice it up, dust with cinnamon and your sweetener of choice before popping in the air-fryer. Serve with simple vanilla or honey yogurt as a dipping sauce! Easy and economical

Watermelon Gazpacho! Refreshing and just for you! Whip up a single-serving batch of this hydrating, delicious cold soup made with watermelon, cucumbers and tomato -- no-cook and ready in minutes.

Watermelon Gazpacho with Feta and Herbs –This is a quick and easy, single-serve blender recipe that’s featured in my Cooking for One for Dummies cookbook that published in March 2023. To be honest, is a way I use up watermelon that has been sitting for a few days in my fridge and needs to be used up STAT.

watermelon juice is a hydrating, sweet, natural beverage that is easy and economical to make at home.

Watermelon Juice: Most folks either buy expensive, pressed watermelon juice from their grocer OR use a blender and drain off all the pulp. However, my hack in this post shows you how you can actually DRAIN off a large quantity while cutting and storing without compromising the pieces you want to eat.

More than half of respondents from the 2022 NWPB study reported they feel better knowing that they’ve purchased food that can be used in multiple meals and/or recipes. Watermelon definitely has your back on that! Check out the amazing, creative recipe collection at Watermelon.org for all sorts of juicy, yummy, sweet and savory inspiration.

*NWPB Consumer Study 2022

Watermelon Cutting Made Quick & Easy for the Win in Any Season

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This post is sponsored by Watermelon.org.

We are well into the busy fall season and I just scored a big seedless watermelon at my local market, they were parked right next to the pumpkins outside and more inside! My day was MADE bringing this watermelon home – the sun was shining on me, literally and figuratively.

It felt like I was squeezing out extra summer from the year with my produce department find but actually watermelon is becoming more and more prevalent in grocery stores well outside warm-weather months.  In hindsight, I can’t believe I almost didn’t buy the watermelon – thinking I didn’t have the TIME to cut it up and store it away during the weekend’s whirlwind of activities.

But after I checked out the fresh cut watermelon in the produce department (the slices on Styrofoam trays and chunks in plastic tubs), I decided that my budget this month was more “cut it yourself” than “sheer convenience.” So, made a beeline back to the whole watermelon bins and picked out a beautiful looking 16-pound watermelon that felt nice and heavy and had that ripeness-telling creamy yellow spot on the bottom.

Check out how quick and easy it is to cut watermelon!

When my hubby saw me hauling the watermelon into the house (a great workout by the way), he was super excited that we’d be taking it along as great pre- and post-race snack for our obstacle course race this weekend.  He knows, from my years of gushing over watermelon and its frequent appearance on our family menu, that watermelon is fabulous for athletes – hydrating, has good carbs to provide energy, and a source of many important vitamins and minerals that we need.

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Didn’t have lot of time to spare before we headed out on our weekend excursion. I was wondering how long does it take to cut watermelon, exactly. I’ve done it countless times, but never really paid any attention – I do know my feeling is that “it’s easier than people think.” so, I decided to give this watermelon cutting session a timer – not to rush through, but to legitimately see how long it took using one of my favorite watermelon cutting methods.

Just a little over 5 minutes to cut up my watermelon!

The result: My 16-pound watermelon* took 5 minutes and 16 seconds to cut and toss into storage containers. I wasn’t racing, but I wasn’t lollygagging or taking a ton of my usual watermelon snacking breaks – I was pretty focused on the task.  so, boom — 5 minutes — I have just overcome the time objection that I hear from some of you about getting the “big” watermelon. as, for storing a watermelon, which can sometimes be unwieldy to fit in a fridge whole, chunking it up and sealing in stackable storage containers can help you optimize valuable fridge real estate.

*The average seedless watermelon is 8- to 12-pounds. My cutting demo watermelon was 16-pounds and in Texas I’ve purchased seedless watermelon much, much larger (30+ pounds).

MY GO-TO QUICK & EASY WAY TO CUT WATEMELON

  1. Wash exterior of rind to prevent contaminants from dragging into flesh with each knife slice. I do this as soon as I bring home from store, so it’s not reflected in my 5-minute cutting time.
  2. Lay watermelon on side and slice off just enough of each end, sparing as much watermelon flesh as possible, so that it will stand stable when rotating upright.
  3. Stand watermelon upright and take large knife (I prefer a really large serrated knife), and make vertical cuts down the melon in one long motion, top to bottom, curving gently with the shape of watermelon. This is about 8 total cuts, more or less, depending on watermelon size
  4. While it’s still “standing up,” slice de-rinded watermelon lengthwise through the center, top to bottom, and lay one half down on the cutting board with the curved side up.
  5. If you desire “chunks”, make about 2 to 3 horizontal slices through the center of the half, depending on the largeness of your watermelon.  then slice top to bottom in in approximate 1” rows going each direction. if you want “sticks,” just skip the first horizontal cut mentioned in this step.
  6. Package up in air-tight containers and store in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
  7. Compost the watermelon rinds, or use in a recipe – check out my Churro Watermelon Rind Fries in the Air Fryer.

Watermelon.org shows a very similar cutting method on their website.