Profile: Raffi
So why is children's entertainer/singer Raffi the face we are placing on
bananas? Well, part of it is the fact that one of his best-known kids' song is
called "Bananaphone" and because he has fond associations with bananas and
banana-based recipes going back to his own youth. Most importantly, though, he
is a champion of children's health and bananas happen to be one of the most
pesticide-free forms of produce available (as well as being nutritious), so they
are one of the safest choices for your family.
Profile: Raffi
Raffi: A Lover of True Voices
Entertainer and songwriter Raffi has become a friend to millions of children and their families. His Grammy-Award nominated song, Bananaphone, is among the most popular children’s songs ever recorded. For Raffi, children are an immeasurable source of inspiration because of their “true voices.”
On Global Earth Day in 1990, Raffi was re-awakened to the importance of pesticide-free foods in the diets of children. He learned just how vulnerable young children are to toxic compounds. A follower of the Dalai Lama, Raffi became even more deeply committed to the principle of doing more to nurture and care for our young. “As a children’s entertainer and advocate, “ says Raffi, “I have been guided by the belief that honoring children is fundamental. It should be the framework for evaluating all actions, both private and public.” Raffi believes that environmental protection for young children is a human rights issue and this belief led him to action.
In 2000, Raffi founded the Troubadour Institute for Child Honoring, which supports organizations that promote children’s emotional, physical, spiritual, and intellectual well-being. The Institute carries out Raffi’s mission of honoring each and every child as a whole person. He is co-chair of the advisory board for Generation Green.
These moist mini-muffins are perfect for the lunch box or as an after-school treat. Of course, they're delish at breakfast or brunch too. (Makes 36)
Ingredients:
2 cups whole-grain pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Coat thirty-six 1 3/4” x 3/4” muffin cups with oil spray.
2) In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3) In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Stir in the bananas, milk, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Stir in the walnuts.
4) Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Transfer the muffins to cooling racks to finish cooling.
Helping Hand: To make standard-size muffins, replace the mini-muffin pans with two 12-cup muffin pans. To freeze these muffins, cool completely and freeze in a ziplock freezer bag. Reheat at 350ºF for 10 minutes, or until heated through.
This
scrumptious smoothie is named after one of children's singer Raffi’s
most popular albums, “Rise and Shine.” Sliced frozen bananas and
strawberry yogurt give it an extra-rich and creamy texture. For those who
don’t like to eat in the morning, this refreshing shake may be a good
compromise. (Makes 1 serving)
Ingredients
1 container (6 ounces) organic strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup organic milk
1 frozen banana, sliced
2 to 4 ice cubes
Directions:
In a blender, combine the
yogurt, milk, banana, and ice cubes. Blend just until smooth and creamy.
Helping Hand: To make
this shake even easier to whip up in the morning, cut a ripe banana into
slices, toss with a little lemon juice, and freeze in a ziplock freezer
bag.
Banana Lore:
Bananas were first promoted to
Americans as early as the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. The bananas
were gaily wrapped in colored tinfoil and the fruit was sold for ten cents a
finger (a fairly high price at that time). Bananas continued to be an expensive
delicacy throughout most of the nineteenth century. By the early 1900s, bananas
became affordable and today they are the most popular fruit in America with each
person consuming about 28 pounds of bananas each year.