I was super excited to try this recipe. I first saw it on Grace's youTube channel "Grackle". She was inspired by The Stingy Vegan. I basically used The Stingy Vegan's recipe, but added onions. I love onions and they always are part of my regular pulled pork recipes. Check out her site. She has great photos and explanations.

I bought organic bananas for this recipe, but regular ones would be fine. If you are worried about pesticide use on regular bananas then go organic. I'm not that bothered, I bought organic ones because they were greener and not very expensive. Just make sure to wash the bananas well.

My family and I were really impressed with the texture and flavour of this faux pulled pork. It wasn't pork by any means, but didn't taste like bananas either. Had a lovely BBQ flavour and chewy texture.

It is best to use slightly green bananas as very ripe ones would be too soft.

Above is a photo of how to scrape the inside white stuff off the skin. You don't want any of this in your finished product. This white stuff is what makes your lips pucker if you eat it. So scrape your peels well but gently.

Then you can use a fork to pull the peels into strips and then cut in 2 - 3 inch lengths or just use a knife to thinly slice the peels into long thin strips and then cut in half. Then put in a bowl and add the oil and spices - mix well and set aside to marinate for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice your onion thinly and put aside to fry later.

While your peels marinate you can make your favourite coleslaw or prepare your tomato and lettuce for toppings.

Now heat a frying pan on medium and add the marinated peels along with a tablespoon of water and fry stirring frequently but gently. Keep adding water as the pan gets dry. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to cook the peels. This depends on the ripeness of your bananas. The more ripe the quicker they cook. You want the strips of peel to be tender but still have a bite to them. Once cooked remove from the pan.

Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and fry up your onions until they are soft and lightly brown. Then add the cooked peels and BBQ sauce. Cook for about 1 minute while stirring to coat everything in sauce.

Ready to serve on gluten-free buns or wraps. Top with your favorite vegetables. Coleslaw, tomato slices, cucumber slices and lettuce. Mayonnaise goes well with this too!

Gluten-Free Banana Peel Faux 'Pulled Pork' Recipe (Inspired by The Stingy Vegan

Ingredients

• 2 large or 3 smallish bananas (well washed) You will only use the peels.
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1 thinly slice bell pepper, green or red (optional)
• 2 tablespoon oil for the peels and 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil for frying the onion.
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup of water (You will add a tablespoon at a time.)
• 2 - 3 tablespoons your favourite gluten-free BBQ sauce (I like Gluten-free Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ sauce.)
• gluten-free buns or wraps
• coleslaw, tomatoes, and lettuce for toppings

Directions

1. Wash your bananas well and dry with a cloth. Then cut of the top and bottom of the banana and peel it. Put the fruit (inside of the banana aside) You only need the peel. Remove the white inside part of the skin with a spoon. Just scrape the soft white part of the skin off and discard.
2. Using either a fork or a knife - cut the banana peels into long thin strips and then cut those strips in half. You want thin strips about 2 - 3 inches long.
3. Put the strips in a bowl along with the oil and dried spices. Mix well and let sit for about 5 - 10 minutes.
4. Heat a frying pan and add the marinated peels. Cook on medium heat stirring frequently, but gently. Add a few tablespoons of water now and then. You don't want the pan to get too dry. You want to steam the peels, you want them tender but not mushy. Depending on how ripe the banana peels are this usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove the cooked banana peels. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and add your slice onions and peppers if using (I didn't use pepper this time). Cook on medium to low heat until the onions are soft and lightly brown. Then add the cooked banana peels back in and combine.
6. Add your BBQ sauce and stir till well covered. Cook for about 1 minute, just to heat the sauce.
7. Now you can serve up the 'pulled pork" banana peel mixture. You can serve on toasted gluten-free buns with coleslaw or tomatoes and lettuce or in gluten-free wraps.

Wondering what to do with the inside of the banana? You can wrap it well and freeze for a smoothie or make banana bread. Here is a link to my banana bread recipe if you are interested.

After finding out you could eat banana peels I started to search the internet for other ideas. Many countries in South East Asia and South America use banana peels in their cuisine. I found recipes from India, Venezuela and Brazil. I can't wait to try some of them. Did you know that your could eat banana peels?

Check out these websites for some fun facts about bananas. I haven't checked the truthfulness of the claims on the sites. I have included links to the website for fun only.

Live Science - Bananas: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts By Jessie Szalay - Live Science Contributor October 26, 2017
The Banana Police

While I was looking through the internet about banana peels I came across a Japanese grown banana called Mongee. You can eat the whole banana like you'd eat an apple! Who knew! Here is a link if you'd like to find out more about the Mongee Banana. Have you ever tried one? I will have to look for them on my next trip to Japan. Whenever we can travel again. ^-^

Now I would not eat banana peel recipes often, but they are a fun and tasty addition to my meal ideas list. One thing to note that I read on many sites, is that if you are allergic to latex, you should avoid bananas and banana peels. Always check with your medical provider before trying new foods if you have allergies.

Note: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Always seek out a medical opinion for medical concerns.