How Do You Tell If A Watermelon Is Ripe In The Garden?

Shaped by Charlotte

That bunch of bananas on your counter turning brown awfully quick? Don't panic! Ripe and overripe bananas (which have ever-softening peels covered in an ever-increasing number of brown spots) are extra sweet—and there are about a million and one ways to use them.

Before I get carried away with banana bread, nice cream, and other yummy overripe banana recipes, know this: As long as the spots on a banana's peel are more brown than black, the banana itself has an off-white or very light-brown color, and the flesh still has a uniform texture (read: not too gooey), it's totally fine to eat, according to nutritionist Kelly Jones, RD.

"In fact, overripe bananas actually contain more antioxidants than when they are still somewhat green or just ripe," she says. (Umm, sold.)

If you don't feel like firing up the oven, you can freeze ripe and overripe bananas to use in smoothies, banana nice cream, and snack bites later. The soft, sweet, spotty fruit also works wonders in oatmeal (especially with PB) and all sorts of baked goods, too, though. "In sweet recipes, bananas offer more natural sweetness, allowing you to reduce—or even eliminate—any added sugar," Jones says.

Another hack for your naners: They often work well as a replacement for butter or eggs, which basically makes them any vegan's baking BFF.

Still not sure exactly how to put that browning bunch to good use? Treat yourself to one of these 23 overripe banana recipes.

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Banana Peanut Butter Snack Bites

All you need is a bowl and a few basic ingredients to turn overripe naners into these delicious PB-filled snack bites. (They come in clutch before and after workouts.)

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Per 2 bites: 150 calories, 7 g fat (<1 g saturated), 16 g carbs, 125 mg sodium, 6 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein

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No-Sugar-Added Chickpea Banana Muffins

These garbanzo bean flour-based muffins are just as tasty as they are fiber- and protein-filled. Trust.

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Per serving: 130 calories, 6 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 16 g carbs, 110 mg sodium, 5 g sugar (0 grams added), 3.5 g fiber, 3.5 g protein

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Healthy Dairy-Free Banana Bread

This dairy-free banana bread tastes like a treat without being a total sugar bomb.

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Per serving: 230 calories, 16 g fat (6 g saturated), 44 g carbs, 300 mg sodium, 16 g sugar, 4.5 g fiber, 5 g protein

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No-Sugar-Added Blueberry Pancakes

Made with just whole-wheat flour, oats, and ripe banana (and bloobs, of course), these pancakes are fluffy and filled with fiber and protein.

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Per serving: 336 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated), 48 g carbs, 256 mg sodium, 11 g sugar, 6 g fiber, 10 g protein

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Banana Chia Oat Cups

These fruity vegan oat cups are satisfyingly chewy and loaded with healthy fats from chia seeds and walnuts.

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Per serving: 241 calories, 10 g fat (1 g saturated), 33 g carbs, 13 mg sodium, 6 g sugar, 7 g fiber, 7 g protein

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Banana Bread Cauliflower Oats

You won't even realize that this cozy bowl is filled with cauliflower thanks to sweet, sweet bananas.

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Per serving: 290 calories, 14 g fat (4.5 g saturated), 33 g carbs, 106 mg sodium, 10 g sugar, 6 g fiber, 9 g protein

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Healthy Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies

These vegan treats are a heavenly cross between banana bread and chocolate chip cookies.

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Per serving: 180 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 27 g carbs, 100 mg sodium, 5 g sugar, 5 g fiber, 5 g protein

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Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

Give these soft, fluffy cookies a heavy drizzle of peanut butter and they're pretty much perfect.

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Per serving: 147 calories, 8 g fat, 16.4 g carbs, 136 mg sodium, 8 g sugar, 1.2 g fiber, 3 g protein

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Bread

Pumpkin and banana make this sweet (gluten- and dairy-free) bread high in potassium.

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Per serving: 208 calories, 9.3 g fat, 10 g carbs, 211 mg sodium, 4 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 5.6 g protein

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Peanut Butter Blueberry Banana Smoothie

This super-sweet smoothie is also crazy satisfying thanks to a big spoonful of nut butter.

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Per serving: 152 calories, 6.2 g fat (0.6 g saturated), 25.2 g carbs, 4.9 g fiber, 14.5 g sugar, 3.5 g protein

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Banana Split Protein Smoothie

This layered smoothie is loaded with protein and almost (almost) too pretty to drink.

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Per serving: 229 calories, 4.3 g fat, 40.2 g carbs, 6.9 g fiber, 22.6 g sugar, 14.4 g protein

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2-Ingredient Healthy Banana Bread Cookies

This might just be the easiest cookie recipe in the world—and it's dang delicious, too.

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Per serving: 60 calories, 0.8 g fat, 12.4 g carbs, 1.7 g fiber, 2.1 g sugar, 1.4 g protein

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Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread

This refined-sugar-free banana bread is a fudgy, gooey, chocolatey dream.

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Per serving: 255 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated), 33 g carbs, 43 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 16 g sugar, 5 g protein

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Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Walnut Bread

Crunchy walnuts give this otherwise simple banana bread a surprisingly fun texture.

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Per serving: 237 calories, 16 g fat (5 g saturated), 43 mg sodium, 21 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 5 g protein

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Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These moist, soft, chewy cookies get their sweetness from bananas, a bit of maple, and vanilla.

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Per serving: 148 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated), 19 g carbs, 9 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 3 g protein

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Tahini Chocolate Banana Soft Serve

This nice cream is silky smooth. And the tahini? Perfection.

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Per serving: 265 calories, 10.4 g fat (2.4 g saturated), 47 g carbs, 19 mg sodium, 22.9 g sugar, 8 g fiber, 6 g protein

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

This shake combines overripe bananas with cocoa, peanut butter, and dates for a protein-packed sip that tastes like dessert. I mean, do you see that chocolate swirl?

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Per serving: 382 calories, 21 g fat (4.1 g saturated), 43.7 g carbs, 194 mg sodium, 21.7 g sugar, 8.2 g fiber, 13.5 g protein

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1-Bowl Fudgy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These easy-to-make muffins are filled with good-for-you ingredients and taste like they're straight out of a bakery.

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Per serving: 265 calories, 16.7 g fat (3.1 g saturated), 231 mg sodium, 29.6 g carbs, 5.6 g fiber, 17.2 g sugar, 6.3 g protein

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Banana Nut Scones with Maple Glaze

Feeling fancy? Munch on one of these nutty-sweet scones with your morning cup of Joe.

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Per serving: 323 calories, 7 g fat, 29 mg sodium, 26 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 20 g sugar, 8 g protein

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Chickpea Chocolate Chip Vegan Banana Bread

This vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free banana bread packs extra protein and fiber (and not one shred of chickpea taste, promise).

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Per serving: 323 calories, 10 g fat, 24 mg sodium, 48 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 26 g sugar, 5 g protein

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Banana Date Granola Bars

These gluten-free granola bars are the perfect grab-and-go snack, with or without the chocolate drizzle.

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Per serving: 161 calories, 4 g fat, 53 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 2 g protein

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Chocolate Banana Bread with Strawberries

This isn't your average banana bread. Colorful strawberries and raw cashews make it extra flavorful and creeeamy.

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Per serving: 218 calories, 11 g fat, 27 g carbs, 13 g sugar, 6 g fiber, 6 g protein

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Keto Banana Nut Protein Pancakes

This low-carb, high-flavor stack is brunch- and Monday-worthy.

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Per serving: 85 calories, 5.4 g fat, 1.8 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 7.4 g protein