Healthy and Green Living

Have you taken time to savor a banana lately? If bananas were rare, we would probably covet them dearly for their rich, creamy flesh and sweet, perfumed flavor. In this wonderfully simple recipe for Banana Cream with Rose Petals, ripe bananas are propelled from fruit bowl staple into the luscious-dessert stratosphere.

Besides being so lovely to eat, bananas are whiz-bangers in the nutrition department. They are one of our best sources of potassium, a mineral that plays a vital role in healthy blood pressure and heart functions. They are high in soluble fiber and are a rich source of beneficial bacteria that aid in the absorption of calcium—who knew?!

INGREDIENTS
2 large ripe bananas
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons rose petal jam (see note)

1. Mash the bananas with the honey until creamy.

2. In a large bowl, whip the cream until stiff. Fold in the banana and mix well.

3. Chill and serve in four small dessert dishes, topping each portion with one teaspoon of rose petal jam.

Note: Rose petal jam can be purchased in ethnic or gourmet food stores, and you can also find it online. If you are unable to purchase it, you can substitute your favorite jam and garnish the dishes with a sprinkle of fresh (organic!) rose petals.