Dole’s Thanksgiving Recipes Are Bananas — Literally

Last week, I brought you some fall banana-centric recipes courtesy of Melanie Marcus, MA, RD, Dole's Nutrition, Wellness and Communications Manager. The previous entry in this trilogy of fall and winter banana recipes centered on Halloween and general fall fun. Today we’re going to look at a bunch of recipes that are great for the Thanksgiving season.

Related: Dole Celebrates the Banana for Fall and Halloween

I love bananas, especially with peanut butter, and it wasn’t until I started digging into these recipes that I discovered just how versatile bananas are. I might have to give one or two of these a try soon.

Thanksgiving Banana Bread Monte Cristo

This sounds like a great way to repurpose those Thanksgiving leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1 cup DOLE® Raspberries
• ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup unsweetened oat milk
• 1 prepared Classic DOLE® Banana Bread, cut crosswise into 16 slices
• 8 slices leftover carved turkey, halved crosswise (about 1 pound)
• 1 cup leftover mashed sweet potatoes
• ¼ cup whole grain mustard
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Stir raspberries and cranberry sauce in a small bowl. Makes about 1 cup.

2. Whisk eggs and oat milk in a wide, shallow dish. Spread 8 bread slices with ½ cup raspberry mixture; top with turkey and sweet potatoes. Spread remaining 8 bread slices with mustard; place, mustard side down, over sweet potatoes.

3. Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Dip both sides of 4 sandwiches into egg mixture and place on hot griddle; cook 4 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Repeat with nonstick cooking spray and remaining 4 sandwiches. Makes 8 sandwiches.

4. Serve sandwiches dusted with powdered sugar, if desired, along with remaining ½ cup raspberry mixture for dipping.

Banana-Pecan Streusel Pie with Sweet Potato Crust

You had me at pecan. You lost me at sweet potato. Guess I could use a regular pie crust.

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 medium DOLE^® Sweet Potato, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
• 3 DOLE^® Bananas, sliced
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 3 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons natural buttery spread with olive oil, melted
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup almond flour
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange sweet potato slices in a circular, overlapping single layer on bottom and up sides of pan; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes or until edges of sweet potatoes are just starting to brown. Remove crust from oven; reduce temperature to 350°F.
2. Layer 2 bananas and 1 cup pecans over crust. Mash remaining banana in a medium bowl; whisk in eggs, 3 tablespoons buttery spread, honey, and vanilla extract. Pour egg mixture over bananas and pecans. Bake pie 20 minutes or until filling is almost set.
3. Stir flour, sugar, salt, and remaining 1 cup pecans and 3 tablespoons buttery spread in a small bowl; sprinkle over pie. Bake pie 15 minutes or until topping is golden brown and filling is set. Cool 1 hour; cut into 12 pieces.

Caramelized Banana Refrigerator Jam

Honestly, this sounds like a terrific year-round recipe to have on hand.

Ingredients

• 2 DOLE® Limes, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large ripe DOLE® Bananas, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat lime juice, sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Carefully stir in bananas; cook 15 minutes or until slightly thickened and bananas are caramelized, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Makes about 1 cup jam.

2. Transfer jam to an 8-ounce glass jar with lid; cool completely. Cover; refrigerate at least overnight before serving.

Tips & Tricks

Chef Tips:

• Serve on toasted whole grain bread or English muffins, or serve on a charcuterie board.
• For a touch of heat, add a little minced jalapeño to the saucepan along with the bananas in step 1.

Almond Butter Chunky Monkey Protein Ice Cream

If you have one of those fancy tabletop ice cream makers, this could be a fun treat.

Ingredients

• 1 medium DOLE® Banana, peeled 
• 1 cup refrigerated unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup plant-based vanilla protein powder 
• 1 tablespoon light agave nectar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate chunks plus additional for garnish (optional)
• 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds plus additional for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Mash banana in a medium bowl with a fork; whisk in milk, almond butter, protein powder, agave, and vanilla extract. Transfer banana mixture to Ninja^® CREAMi^® pint from Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker; cover with lid and freeze 24 hours.

2. Remove lid from pint; place pint with banana mixture into the outer bowl. Insert paddle into bottom of the lid; cover pint with lid and lock. Place outer bowl into Ninja CREAMi base; select "ice cream" program and run. Remove lid; with a spoon, create a 1 1/2-inch hole in center of banana mixture. Add chocolate chunks and almonds to center; select "mix-in" program and run. Makes about 2 cups ice cream.

3. Serve ice cream garnished with chocolate chunks and/or almonds, if desired.

Salted Caramel Banana Frappé

Starbucks? Never heard of her.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 8 pitted Medjool dates 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 large DOLE^® Banana, peeled and sliced crosswise
• 3 cups ice
• 1 cup refrigerated unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup plant-based vanilla or whey protein powder 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Non-dairy coconut whipped topping for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Stir espresso powder and 3/4 cup boiling water in a small bowl; cool completely.

2. Purée dates, salt, and 1/3 cup cold water in a blender on high until smooth, scraping down blender occasionally. Add banana, ice, milk, protein powder, vanilla extract and espresso; purée on high until smooth. Makes about 6 cups.

3. Serve frappé garnished with whipped topping, if desired.

Stay tuned next Friday for banana-themed recipes for Christmas!

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