Member Reviews

A wonderful cookbook for those of us that need new ideas for ways to use up our bananas! I liked the amount of images and the recipes are easy to follow along. My only comment really is that some of the recipes did feel repetitive and could have been combined!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

Was this review helpful?

There is more to banana than banana bread, a staple of the quarantine days. Just in time if you are nauseated mentally and physically of all those pictures of breads, this book has - besides the abovementioned recipe - a good repertoire of sweet banana-based recipes.
As promised, the recipes are really simple, with minimal combinations of tastes and ingredients. There are bowls and milkshakes and breads and energy balls. I would try maybe one day a matcha+banana+caramelized peanuts cupcakes, or the avocado and banana smoothie. Do not expect too much creativity or super creative recipes, just a regular cookbook moderately exploring the texture and taste of banana. No need to get some super cooking/baking powers to succeed.

Was this review helpful?

Oh my goodness, these recipes look delicious! My mouth is watering and even though I just ate I am craving some yummy bananas now. The Banana Cookbook has gorgeous photos and some super tasty treats. I love the variety. I never realized a banana could be so versatile and used in so many delectable ways. I can't wait to try out most of these recipes. I will be making the banana iced coffee asap!

Was this review helpful?

I LOVE THIS RECIPE BOOK! For too long I have unappreciated bananas. They were always used for typical banana breads or for a fruit smoothie. For too long, their potential went unrealized. But, this wonderful book helped me realize the possibilities of banana as both a vegan option and replacement, to a new ingredient to explore in my cooking! I loved how Sam combined tried and true banana classics with new eclectic recipes! I think my favorite recipes was the Banana Millionaire’s Shortbread. It was soooo good and my whole family enjoyed it. Overall, this is a great book for new and experienced bakers and chefs to explore new and classic banana recipes.

Was this review helpful?

This cookbook is exactly what the title says - lots of simple, easy to follow recipes that include or surround bananas. The majority of recipes use ingredients that most people have in their house so that's a huge plus. This is a great cookbook for beginners, even middle school or high school students, or for someone that loves bananas.

That being said, I was disappointed to find out at the end that all of the photos used in the cookbook are stock photos from Shutterstock. I don't expect the food I make to come out exactly like the pictures in a recipe, but visuals are a large part of giving you guidance. The pictures themselves are nice, but overall, the stock images were certainly a letdown of an otherwise good cookbook, and I truly wish they had included photos of the actual recipes instead.

Was this review helpful?

I have been in need of this book for some time. Sick of throwing away overripe bananas I now have array of recipes I can use to transform them into delicious desserts.

This book is simple in its format with a minimal list of ingredients and easy to follow instructions.

So far I have only made the Banoffee Millionaires Shortbread but it was very nice indeed. I cant wait to try out some of the other recipes,

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this title in exchange for an unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to Andrew McNeel Publishing and Netgalley for the Digital ARC.

I found this to be a very interesting cookbook with a lot of intriguing recipes. I had not thought of the banana as such a multi-tasking fruit in the baking world. Usually I only think of eating them raw, as some form of bread, or ice cream and it was fascinating to find all of these new recipes and uses for bananas. I am definitely going to give some of these recipes a good.
I will say the interior design and layout of the book is good but I think the cover leaves much to be desired. And on a personal note I think if you are going to use self-rising flour as an ingredient that at some point you should include a handy substitution/conversion guide if you do not purchase that easily made product.

Was this review helpful?

I wish I could've read and reviewed this book the right way, but for some reason the book wouldn't load for me at all. With that said, this book seems like such a necessarily smart book to read, so I'll just have to find another way!

EDIT:

I actually figured out how to get it to work and skimmed through the whole book and everything seemed so delicious and I got hungry! So, I tried the Banana Iced Coffee, and It was really good! I would've never thought to try my coffee this way, and I'm glad I did, It was delicious! I will also be making the banana bread later because it seems quick and easy. I'll have to buy the physical copy so I can keep this little handy book in the kitchen with my other cookbooks!

Was this review helpful?

This book is amazing!! I am ALWAYS looking for what to do with leftover bananas. This is so perfect. The pictures are well done as well. There are so many great options. I can't wait to try out so more of the recipes. THANK YOU!

Was this review helpful?

A beautiful collection of delicious and healthy snacks, breakfasts, drinks and deserts. Can’t want to try some of these, especially the ice creams! Also, the pictures are lovely.

Was this review helpful?

As a huge cookbook lover, I appreciate the opportunity to give an honest review of The Banana Cookbook by Sam Brooks! There's very little not to appreciate about this cookbook. What I liked most of all is the clear, colourful and attractive photos of the recipes. Cookbooks can often have great recipes but if they don't attract me with 'food for my eyes'.... well I tend to put them back on the shelf and not do much with them. That's not a problem with this cookbook because it has lovely pics throughout of all the dishes that will motivate you to try making them. There's also a nice selection of dishes as far as variety goes... you have some that require baking/cooking but also some that are no-bake recipes. You also have recipes that are vegan and gluten-free but you can also easily add dairy, etc. if desired. Understandably, most of the recipes are for snacks, sweets and breakfast foods considering that bananas don't fit in with most savoury-type entrees, but still, there's a nice variety here of ways to incorporate this healthy, nutritious and economical fruit into your diet in various ways. One last thing that I think is great about this cookbook is that it's simple enough that it would make a great first cookbook for a child... perhaps easing them into cooking by starting with the simplest recipes and the no-bake recipes and then gradually easing them into the ones requiring more ingredients or steps. I think it would be ideal for that myself! And most kids wouldn't take too much coaxing to want to start learning how to make snacks, breakfast foods and desserts. Overall, I like the cookbook. If I have one suggestion, I would suggest the plain yellow cover doesn't do it justice. I would prefer to see some pics of the lovely recipes inside.

Was this review helpful?

If you're looking for a cookbook to help you use up those ripening bananas or bananas you froze months ago and need to use, this books is perfect! The recipes not only sound delicious, but look amazing too with their accompanying photos. I appreciated the inclusion of vegan and gluten-free recipes as well. The recipes seem very basic, which is great for when you need to make something quick and are not too skilled in the kitchen, However, I think it may be too simple. There wasn't a recipe that made me think 'I NEED to make this' and there wasn't anything that I've never seen before. This would be a great gift for someone who loved bananas though!

Was this review helpful?

I like the simplicity of design in this cookbook and even the cover – being just yellow.

In this book, you will find a lot of different, yummy looking recipes. I like breakfasts with bananas – I often eat something similar to Nutty Banana muesli. The frozen sweets look great. I prepare similar icecream – but I have to try these recipes, too.

I would recommend this to everyone who likes bananas and would like to know some creative ways to prepare them.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this! All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review
of this book.

Banana recipes are really appealing. No pun intended. Treats made with this fruit are tasty and often healthy. This small book runs the gamut from smoothies to baked goods.

I found that the recipes required items not necessarily kept in everyone’s
pantry or refrigerator. This was ok, but it keeps one from picking up the book to make a recipe just to discover they don’t have everything they need to successfully create the dish.

The photos however, were quite appealing. They would encourage someone to pick this book up to try the recipes out.

This book may be right for some cooks and bakers. It just is not the book for my cookbook library.

Was this review helpful?

This was quite a good cookbook filled with all the banana recipes you could want and all dairy free. Personally, there were a few too many breakfast and smoothie recipes and not as many dessert and sweets recipes as I would have liked. I prefer using bananas in my baking and there are a few yummy recipes such as no-bake banana cheesecake, banana banoffee pie, and banana millionaire's shortbread. If you're new to banana recipes or love your smoothies, smoothie bowls and breakfast recipes, this might be the cookbook for you.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to @NetGalley for ARC. I love this cookbook packed full of yummy banana recipes with beautiful photos. The recipes are very easy to make, most using only a few ingredients. Very easy to understand directions with beautiful color photos of each recipe included. The cookbook includes recipes for breakfast, cupcakes, smoothies/shakes and desserts. So many delicious banana recipes to enjoy!

#NetGalley
#TheBananaCookbook

Was this review helpful?

I always have bananas in my fruit bowl, but have never really given it much thought in using them other than making smoothies or as a topping on custard when the grandchildren visit. So many wonderful recipes that i'm eager to make and must remember to buy extra bananas when i'm next shopping. I recently started making my own ice cream and shall be making plenty for the freezer, along with the Chocolate Fudge Popsicles for when the grandchildren are here. Recommended.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, which i have voluntarily given.

Was this review helpful?

This book is a must-have in every kitchen y'all. I found myself scribbling on recipe cards last night and spent the whole day trying out some of the recipes for brunch and I am highly impressed. Loved it. The recipes are easy to follow and they are yummy (pictures are well taken and thus go a long way in making one fall in love with the book)

Was this review helpful?

Ironically (or not) this seems like the perfect book for quarantine seeing as there's a current banana bread craze. This cookbook features 50 simple recipes that incorporate bananas to some extent from classic banana bread and banoffee pie to banana matcha cupcakes and banana-based ice cream. Each recipe is accompanied by a stock photo and while some of the treats looked delicious, most of the recipes were nothing special and could easily be found online or on Pintrest and it felt a bit repetitious at times as some of the recipes seemed like a slight variation of another one. Not the most unique or original cookbook, but a good place to start for beginning chefs and those minions from Despicable Me.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Andrew McGeels publishers for providing a free ARC

Was this review helpful?

I loved this sweet cookbook! I find myself reaching for bananas in all of my baking, so a whole cookbook dedicated to bananas was like a gift. I tried the banana ice cream and it blew my mind—so simple, all you need is a food processor and some bananas and you have a sweet treat that will fool your children into thinking they’re getting the real deal. Healthy short cuts are incredible! The only thing I would change about this book is a lack of nutritional information paired with the recipes.

Was this review helpful?