Banana

The vanilla sapote is misnamed since it is actually not a member of the sapote family but a member of the citrus family. Vanilla sapotes, also called white sapotes, are green on the outside with pale ivory flesh. The green sapote (a true sapote) is green on the outside and orange on the inside. Look for vanilla sapotes at Latin markets and specialty produce stores.

Four ingredients never tasted so good! Vanilla ice cream makes a great fifth.

THE GOODS Boasting 36 percent of your RDA for potassium, this fruity, chocolaty breakfast blend is a big-time bloat buster with only 276 calories per serving.

You’re probably familiar with the little tune that announces the ice cream truck is coming down the street. In Mexico, there’s a specific whistle (admittedly, not at all pleasant) that lets you know a cart with warm sweet potatoes and plantains is on its way. The purveyors wander through the streets pushing carts that steam the sweet potatoes and plantains in their skins. The whistle is the cry of the steam coming out. For this recipe, you can use either bananas or plantains. Either way, roasting heightens their sweetness and gives them a more complex flavor. If you use plantains, be sure to buy ripe ones: they look black on the outside and feel mushy.

Adapted from The Daily Scoop, Barrington, RI You'll be hard pressed to find two foods creamier than ripe, sweet bananas and peanut butter; when they're combined in this ice cream it's sensational.

Chef Dale Van Sky's healthful version of the classic cuts out butter and adds fruit for a sweet, crunchy start to the morning (or afternoon, if that's more your style).

Keep in mind that these waffles will cook a little bit faster than a flour waffle because of the honey in the batter. If you don't have a waffle iron, try using the batter for pancakes.

You don't need a juicer to make this sweet, smooth drink, which is rich in vitamins A and C—a blender can puree the fibrous kale and soft kiwi and banana.

Cajeta is a goat's-milk caramel popular in Mexico where it's made into candies or drizzled over ice cream and other desserts. The word cajeta is Spanish for "small box," named for the containers the caramel was traditionally packed in.
Making your own cajeta is worth the extra bit of work, but you can also buy it or substitute its South American cousin, dulce de leche.

I know what you're thinking. Bananas? Trust me. It's a little trick I picked up from my nights in the kitchen at the famous Le Cirque, in Manhattan. I don't always reveal my secret ingredient, and most people can't put their fingers on what exactly makes this sweet potato recipe so good. But every one loves them. Of course, some heavy cream, butter, and brown sugar doesn't hurt.

Bananas, brown sugar, and rum have a natural affinity for each other (think of their shared tropical background), so it's no surprise that they make a wonderful crown for this homespun dessert. The spicy rum flavors of the topping are echoed in the cake itself, making the whole production darker and more interesting than your usual pineapple upside–down affair. Be sure to use just–ripe bananas for this recipe; if you use overly ripe ones, they will dissolve into the cake.

This super-quick dessert can be served right away, or covered and chilled for up to four hours. (If you're making the parfaits ahead, let stand at room temperature one hour before serving.) Mascarpone (Italian cream cheese) is sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.

Funerals are a big deal in New Orleans and our family was no exception. Though we didn't send our beloveds off with a jazz funeral and a brass band, we did put out quite a spread to keep the mourners sated. I would sit through the eulogy, the whole time keeping my fingers crossed that I'd meet up with banana pudding at the post-service buffet table at one of the cousin's houses. I'd walk in the gathering and within minutes I'd be scanning the dessert table—nine out of ten times it was there—a giant bowl of canary yellow and banana-flavored righteousness beckoning to be pillaged. Sometimes it was layered with vanilla wafers like a parfait. Sometimes the cookies were half sunken into the abyss. Sometimes there were bananas and sometimes there weren't. I'd always scoop out a giant serving with more than my fair share of cookies. Now that I'm grown, I like my banana pudding flavored with banana liqueur and topped with a vanilla-wafer and cinnamon-tossed crumb topping. The topping always stays crisp and provides an amazing contrast to the soft-tender bite of the chopped bananas and the silkiness of the pudding. It's humble and homey but just different enough from the traditional version that I feel good about serving it in a more sophisticated setting.

Guess whose is whose. Yogurt and sorbet with fresh fruit is a luscious and healthful way to get your sundae fix. Or you can go whole hog and pile on the ice cream, peanut butter, fudge, and cookies! As kids growing up, we always got single scoops at the Dairy Queen; we couldn’t ask for the banana split—it was the most expensive thing on the menu. It’s safe to say we’ve made up for lost time on that one, though!

Cooking Method: Direct Heat Suggested Supplies: 4 Bamboo Skewers Barbecuing gets a bad rap sometimes as being the domain of fatty meats and high-calorie sauces, but the truth of the matter is that smoking and grilling don't add fat to a dish, only flavor. With the right ingredients the outdoor cooker can be the focus of cooking for a healthy diet. These charcoal-grilled fruit skewers, with their spicy flair, make eating fruit exciting. It's a versatile dessert or side dish recipe that can be made with any number of fruit combinations. Pair it with grilled chicken and enjoy a guilt-free meal.