1. PLANTAINS (MUSA PARIDISIACA) Kaley Sechman costaricachica.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/viva-platanos/

2. Plantain versus banana Eaten cooked, not raw Larger with thicker skin Flesh like a potato Green, yellow or black peels Fruit may be yellow of pinkish Cooked at any stage of ripeness Always sold individually I am NOT a banana! Chiquita Plantains

3. Classification, Geographical Location and Seasonal Availability Indigenous to tropical regions of Southeast Asia Uganda is top producer Columbia 2 nd largest producer, but largest exporter to U.S. Classified as a fruit, but mostly used as a vegetable Available year round International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

4. Forms of plantains Raw Chips Flour Teas and herbal supplements Juice amazon.com

5. Selection criteria Avoid shriveled, mushy, moldy fruit Can be eaten at any stage of ripeness Starchy (like a potato) - best boiled/fried Slightly sweeter/softer - best grilled/baked Sweetest - best for baked dishes or sweet desserts Chiquita. (n.d.). Chiquita Plantains.

6. Preparation for Cooking Grilled: leave peel on or remove peel for skewers Fried: remove peel, slice widthwise to create thin chips Baked: remove peel, cut in half lengthwise or in chunks To peel: 1. Cut off both tips 2. Slice down the full length of the peel 3. Pull the peel off in one piece Moisten hands and rub with salt to keep juice from sticking to hands Chiquita. (n.d.). Chiquita Plantains: How to Peel.

7. Nutrition Kcal 89 Fat 0.33 g Carb 22.84 g Pro 1.09 g Potassium 358 mg Vit A 64 IU Vit C 8.7 mg Plantain (100 g)Banana (100 g) Kcal 122 Fat 0.37 g Carb 31.89 g Pro 1.3 g Potassium 499 mg Vit A 1,127 IU Vit C 18.4 mg National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. (n.d.). USDA Nutrient Database..

8. Menu Application Very versatile Appetizers, side dishes, soups, stews, desserts Staple food in Africa, South America and the Caribbean Islands; cooked like potatoes Food and Culture (pp. 261-282).

9. Tostones (Fried Green Plantains) Ingredients: 2 whole Green Chiquita Plantains 2 cups Vegetable Oil 1 cup Your Choice of Topping – shrimp ceviche, pulled chicken or avocado Pour about 2 inches of oil in small, deep pot and turn burner on medium high. Slice Chiquita Plantains in 1 1/2 inch sections (you should get about 6 pieces per plantain). Once oil is hot, cook for about one minute. Place cut-side-up on a solid surface. Carefully press down and flatten the Chiquita Plantain with the bottom of the frying pan or other flat surface (like bottom of a drinking glass). Cook in hot oil for two minutes or until they turn golden. Place on paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Serve with your choice of toppings such as shrimp ceviche, pulled chicken or avocado. Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 450; Total Fat 28 g (Sat 3 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 14 g, Mono 5 g); Cholesterol 85 mg; Sodium 410 mg; Potassium 450 mg; Total Carbohydrates 29 g; Dietary Fiber 2 g; Total Sugars 13 g; Protein 25 g. Percent Daily Value: Vitamin A 20%; Vitamin B6 15%; Vitamin C 25%; Vitamin D 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 2%. Chiquita. (n.d.). Easy Tostones with Chiquita Plantains.

10. Baked Sweet Plantains Ingredients: 4 very ripe Chiquita® Plantains (peel should be mostly or all black) 1/4 cup Butter 1/4 cup Dark rum or milk 1/4 cup Brown sugar 1 Tbsp. Pumpkin pie spice 1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper, optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If desired for easier clean up, line a large casserole or baking dish with non-stick foil. Peel plantains and slice in half lengthwise. Place cut-side up in baking dish. Melt butter. (If using milk scald the milk with the butter, just until the butter melts.) Combine butter with remaining ingredients and spoon half of mixture over plantains. Cover baking dish with lid or foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover, turn plantains over and baste with remaining butter and sugar mixture in pan. Return to oven and bake, uncovered for 15 more minutes until plantains are very soft and golden brown. Cool slightly and serve plantains with some of the caramelized sugar and butter from the baking dish. Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 410; Total Fat 12 g (Sat 7 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 0.5 g, Mono 3 g); Cholesterol 30 mg; Sodium 10 mg; Potassium 900 mg; Total Carbohydrates 69 g; Dietary Fiber 4 g; Total Sugars 39 g; Protein 2 g. Percent Daily Value: Vitamin A 45%; Vitamin B6 25%; Vitamin C 60%; Vitamin D 0%; Calcium 2%; Iron 6%. Chiquita. (n.d.). Easy Chiquita Baked Sweet Plantains.

11. Research Hypertension Infectious diseases Respiratory diseases GI diseases Crohns Antiviral activity Blood sugar control in diabetes Group III EG. Health Benefits of Plantain Leaf. 2012

12. http://abbyandrimas.blogspot.com/

13. References 1. Chiquita Plantains. http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banana-Information/type-plantains-bananas.aspx. Accessed March 11, 2013. 2. Chiquita Plantains: How to Peel. http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banana-Information/type-plantains-bananas.aspx. Accessed March 11, 2013. 3. Easy Chiquita Baked Sweet Plantains. http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banana-Recipes/Baked-Sweet-Plantains-recipe.aspx. Accessed March 11, 2013. 4. Easy Tostones with Chiquita Plantains. http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banana-Recipes/Tostones-w-Plantains-recipe.aspx. Accessed March 11, 2013. 5. Agriculture IIoT. Bananas & Plantains. 2009; http://www.iita.org/banana-and-plaintain. Accessed March 11, 2013. 6. Group III EG. Health Benefits of Plantain Leaf. 2012; http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/health-benefits-of-plantain- leaf/. Accessed March 11, 2013. 7. Kittler PG SK, Nahikian-Nels M. Carribean Islanders and South Americans. In: Wadsworth, ed. Food and Culture. Bellmont: Cengage Learning; 2012:264-282. 8. USDA. Basic Report: Nutrient data for 09277, Plantains, raw. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2367?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=&qlookup=plantain. 9. USDA. Basic Report: Nutrient data for 09040, Bananas, raw. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2178?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=&qlookup=banana. Accessed March 11, 2013.