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Health
By Hannah Walsh and Tegan Philpott 

Go bananas with these recipes, celebrate National Banana Day and support local farmers

From underripe to overripe bananas, there's a recipe for you. (RedHelga: iStockphoto)

Bananas are a staple of Australian fruit bowls and lunchboxes, and while delicious on their own, they can also be used to create a range of tasty treats.

Ahead of National Banana Day on May 1, and amid a 20 per cent drop in sales, the industry has launched two marketing campaigns to encourage Australians to put bananas back on the menu.

But for some people, they never left. From not ripe to overripe bananas, they've got a recipe. 

Overripe?

Country Women's Association (CWA) Pioneer Division secretary Lyn Hackett shares her three-ingredient banana bread.

Banana bread is one way you can enjoy your overripe bananas. (Dennis Wilkinson/ Flickr CC BY-NC-SA)

Something sweeter?

There's nothing like banana cake. Ms Hackett ices hers with lemon-flavoured butter icing. 

Eileen and Veronica Fatnowna make banana cassava, a traditional South Sea Islander dish. (ABC Tropical North: Tegan Philpott)

Not quite ripe yet?

The Fatnowna family in North Queensland makes a South Sea Islander dish called green banana and coconut. 

Eileen and Veronica Fatnowna say it is traditionally eaten with tinned tuna. 

Once served, green banana and coconut takes the texture and look of a glazed banana.  (Supplied)

Something different?

Banana cassava is traditionally cooked over a fire, but can be done in an air fryer. (Supplied)

Banana cassava is a traditional South Sea Islander dish.

It is traditionally cooked over a fire, but it takes 30 minutes in an air fryer. 

The Fatnowna family says to peel the cassava so the skin and the first layer of flesh comes off, otherwise it can be poisonous.

However, you can also buy cassava already peeled and grated from some speciality food outlets. 

Cassava is a nutty-flavoured, starchy root vegetable native to South America.  (ABC Tropical North: Tegan Philpott)

Fruit salad and lunchboxes

And, of course, bananas can also be enjoyed just as they are.

Paul Inderbitzin, who grew up on a farm on Queensland's Atherton Tablelands, and whose family has been part of the industry for close to 30 years, says there are hundreds — maybe thousands — of banana varieties out in the wild.

He has some tips for picking the best banana for a fruit salad or lunchbox, but it's a tough choice to nominate a favourite.

"The humble Cavendish does me just fine," Mr Inderbitzin says.

"The good old sugar banana, they're nice and short and good for the lunchbox."

National Banana Day is celebrated on May 1.  (ABC Tropical North: Tegan Philpott)
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