Banana Peels

         

  It might seem strange to you but I actually dehydrate not only bananas but I also dehydrate the banana peels.  Did you know that a banana peel is as useful as the banana itself?  The banana peel contain antibiotic, anti-fungal, and enzymatic properties.  Besides that, they are very nutritious.  Did you know that banana peels are rich in potassium, calcium and Vitamin D?  Well, they are!  
            
            Banana peels are great for your garden and plants.  Put them under your rose bushes to deter aphids.  They also help your rose bushes grow big and beautiful because of the potassium.  Other plants benefit from banana peels to because of the phosphorous, potassium and other macro-nutrients they provide.  Just place small pieces of banana peels into the soil for an added boost.  Every time I plant a new seedling I do this and have great results from it.  

                     The potassium in the peels helps with root development of plants.  It also helps promote stronger plant stems...essentially making your plants more disease resistant, drought resistant, and pest resistant.  The calcium is also great for root and stem development. Calcium also helps break down the nitrogen in the soil.  Phosphorus helps with seed viability and germination.  It is essential for healthy roots and for overall plant strength.  Finally, the magnesium in banana peels aids in the production of chlorophyll.  In other words, it helps keep your plants green.  It also helps to feed your plants. 
        
        Not only are banana peels great for plants there are other great uses for it too.  You can actually eat them too.  There are many Asian and Indian recipes that call for banana peels and they can be eaten cooked or raw.  It seems weird to us in America but the entire banana is utilized in other countries around the world.  

            You can also juice the peels and add them to a smoothie or other drink to add some extra flavor, vitamins and minerals.  To juice the banana peels, just add a few peels to a pot of boiling water and allow them to boil for about 10 minutes.  I use one whole banana peel per 2 cups of water.  Once 10 minutes have passed, remove the peels, and allow the "juice" to cool and you now have banana juice you can use in your drinks.  

      Finally, you can feed your dehydrated banana peels to your farm animals.  I have fed them to my pigs, chickens and rabbits and they all love them.  You can feed it to them in chunks or grind them up into a powder and add it to their feed.  It is a nice treat and the animals love the taste and they get a bit of nutritional boost too.  

      Dehydrating the peels is super easy.  Just wash the peels and remove any stickers and all of the wax coating.  Lay out on your dehydrator trays and let dry for about 6-8 hours.  That's all there is too it so the next time you eat a banana, don't toss the peel...dehydrate it instead!

I also dehydrate ginger and coffee grounds. 

 

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