Green Banana Salad

Ingredients

• 4 medium bananas, green (unripe)
• 2 cups water
• 1 pn salt (or more)
• lemon juice, spray
• 1 small cucumber, with peel, thinly
• 1 medium ripe tomato, chopped
• 1 large celery, halve
• 2 medium carrots, finely shredded
• 1 avocado, peel pit cube
• lemon juice, sprayed on

Directions

1. 1

   For the dressing: add fat-free dressing to the reserved tomato juice to make one-tablespoon per serving. Heat water in skillet; sprinkle in a little salt; reduce heat and add the bananas; simmer about 2 minutes per side. Drain and cool (with cold tap water on gentle spray). Spray with a little fresh lemon juice and set aside to air-dray. While drying, chop and slice. Assemble the salad. Add up to 1/2 cup of thinned dressing. Cut bananas into 1/2-inch slices and incorporate into salad. Then add the finely shredded carrot and toss. Chill for 1 to 3 hrs and serve with seeds or wheat-germ and/or a whole wheat dinner roll with added grains and seeds. *TIP: Instead of frying the bananas or plantains, this recipe boils them. If boiled too long or vigorously, the bananas brown and distintegrate. It happens fast. *PANTRY: Plaintains may be used. We use a (nearly) fat-free Southwest style (tomato and red bell pepper) vinaigrettes bottled by Brianna. *LINK: Fat-Free Italian Salad dressing. *VARIATION: Asian soy ginger salad dressing thinned with with selzer or ginger ale or fresh orange juice. * Heat it up with a drop of hot sauce or a little minced fresh jalapeno.