My husband and I recently became the proud owners of a Vitamix blender. The amazing, all-in-one cooking tool promises to make smoothies, ice cream, dips and even hot soups! Given that fruit can be expensive, we almost always start off our smoothie mixtures with a banana. And then I realized that bananas, the affordable fruit, are actually a great starter for many of my favorite dessert recipes!

Banana, Walnut and Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Meet the delicious trio and taste for yourself how perfectly banana pairs with the warmth of chocolate chunks and walnuts fresh out of the oven.
Get the banana muffin recipe.

Chocolate-Dipped Banana Pops

How cool is this? Frozen bananas dipped in chocolate and rolled in crunched candy become an adorable fruit pop that's actually got some vitamins.
Get the recipe at Design Eat Repeat, or check out this variation of Banana Split Ice Pops at CraftFoxes.

Banana Pecan Cupcakes

Frosted to perfection with sweet buttercream icing and topped with a single pecan, these cupcakes make banana the star ingredient. You'll just need two ripe bananas for the recipe.
Make banana cupcakes with this recipe.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Even with a basic blender, you can whip up this refreshing smoothie and enjoy the nutrients of berries and bananas. Serve with a strawberry on the rim for a great party drink.
Get the strawberry banana smoothie recipe at Smoothie Recipe Center.

Banana Bacon Cookies with Cinnamon

How often do you get to enjoy the taste of bacon without having to make the whole house smell like breakfast? We suggest making batches of this batter to throw in the freezer and prep at a moment's notice.
Get the recipe for banana bacon cookies.

Photos: Robert Rose Inc., Design Eat Repeat, Parragon Books, Smoothie Recipe Center, Rizzoli