On Food: Lorraine's Banana Bread

I haven't posted in way too long and I heartily apologize.

BUT
I'm back today to pass along something wonderful.
Something life changing.
Something you will love me for forever.
and that will definitely make you forget that I abandoned you for about 4 months.

Are you ready for this?

LORRAINE'S (LOWER FAT) BANANA BREAD

Now just as a disclaimer, I'm not always all about low fat.
Fat is good. Your body needs it.
Your cells are coated in it,
which sounds gross but is actually a good thing.
Not to mention that in cooking, fat = flavor.
So it makes sense that a lot of times "low-fat" can mean things like extra sugar, artificial flavors and lord knows what else to make what you're eating taste more like the real thing.

This recipe is awesome because it maintains the taste and awesome-ness of regular banana bread, but has none of that extra stuff.
The secret?
Sour cream, greek yogurt and applesauce.

Lorraine (who is my mom and the source of this recipe) has been using applesauce to substitute for butter in recipes for a long time. It might sound gross but it's actually the perfect substitute in banana bread. My mom's version of this recipe calls for sour cream only, but I like to use half and half  sour cream and greek yogurt. If you don't know about greek yogurt yet, you should try it. It's amazing. It's got way more protein than regular yogurt and can be used in smoothies, as a condiment, and as a substitute for sour cream or oil in a LOT of recipes!

Greek yogurt is kind of a miracle.

Anyway, back to this banana bread.
Here, the yogurt/sour cream adds a richness to the batter with way less fat than butter.
You still get a ton of flavor, plus added protein from the greek yogurt, fiber from the applesauce... it's a no-brainer really.

Try this recipe. You won't regret it.

Lorraine's Banana Bread

1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Apple Sauce
3-4 Smashed Over-ripe Bananas
1/8 C. Sour Cream
1/8 C. Plain Greek Yogurt
2 Eggs
1 TSP. Vanilla

2 C. Flour
1/2 TSP. Baking Powder
3/4 TSP. Baking Soda
1/2 TSP. Salt
1/2 C. Nuts (optional)

Mix the apple sauce and sugar on low until combined. Add bananas, sour cream, yogurt, eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined.

Combine dry ingredients and add to the wet ingredients little by little while mixer is on low. Once batter is well mixed, add nuts if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees in a greased/floured pan.

20-25 minutes for muffins.
40-45 minutes for a large loaf

Combine dry ingredients

inMYkitchen: Granola

Yesterday I made something so delicious, easy and amazing that I can't help but share it with you.

It's: GRANOLA!

I had this yesterday on top of yogurt as a snack.

I had it this morning with some milk for breakfast.

How have I never tried this before? IT'S SO EASY TO MAKE! Get ready to have your world rocked.

If you've been reading my blog since the beginning, then you probably remember this post AND this post where I explained how I feel about packaged foods, preservatives and the like. The great thing about making ANYTHING from scratch is that you can control exactly what goes in it. Not to mention, it's usually cheaper than buying it at the store.

To form the base of the granola you will need:

1 C Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

2 TBS Honey (I used local honey)

3TBS Vegetable Oil (not olive oil- it has to be a light oil, otherwise the granola will have a weird taste)

As for other ingredients, granola is totally customizable! It's part of what I love about it. 

Here's what I put in mine:

1/3 C Chopped Dates

1/4 C Chopped Almonds*

3 TBS Flaked Coconut

*Just because I always have them in the house, I used almonds roasted with dark cocoa powder in this. I think that the cocoa powder worked really well with the coconut, but I'm sure any kind of chopped nuts would have worked equally well. Also, none of these measurements in the second half are exactly exact, so feel free to play around with them.

What else could you use?

Chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried apricots, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds... the list is really endless.

In fact, I have a second batch in the oven right now with raisins and a hint of cinnamon.

Let your creativity run wild!

Toss all ingredients together, spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20 minutes (or until mix turns golden brown (stirring occasionally)

If you are using dried fruit of any kind, you can either add it to the mixture before baking or right after the mix comes out of the oven. Cooking the dried fruit will bring out the sugars but will also dry the fruit out more giving it a chewey texture. If you'd rather, you can stir any dried fruit in when the granola comes out of the oven, while it is still warm.

Enjoy!

On Recipes: Pasta Carbonara (with Leeks and Lemon)

Tonight I made this:

Ok, no, I didn't personally take this picture, but really... can you blame me?

I didn't have time. The Lieutenant and I were too busy scarfing down this delicious meal. 

This is Pasta Carbonara with Leek and Lemon from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine (and the photo was borrowed from her website). Now I know that people have rather strong opinions on Martha, but as I explained here, I feel that despite her recent bad press she is still a reliable source when it comes to cooking and home decor.

This recipe supports the above assumption. 

I halved the recipe for The Lieutenant and I and ended up with EXACTLY the right amount, which was somewhat of a triumph for me, as I almost always overestimate the amount of food I need to feed us. This recipe includes bacon which, let's face it, is a general man-pleaser. If you have a man in your life, try this recipe. Even if he isn't a pasta guy, I bet he'll like it. 

Traditionally (and in this case) a carbonara sauce is made with raw eggs that are combined with boiling water and then tossed with pasta. In theory, the eggs are partially cooked by the time they are combined with the pasta and consumed. I know that this recipe has been prepared this way for many years, but also understand that some people may be concerned about eating undercooked eggs. If it's something that bothers you, skip it and try one of the other recipes I've blogged about in the past. If you're looking for pasta, I recommend THIS ONE by The Pioneer Woman. :]

Modifications:

I used medium shells (conchiglie) instead of the orecchitte that the recipe called for, which worked out just fine. I think you could use any short pasta with this recipe and have a good result. Long pasta might not work as well, since it tends to soak up more sauce, and the sauce with this dish is fairly light. 

I put in about half (so 1/4 of what the original recipe called for) of the lemon zest and juice. I am not always crazy about lemon in savory dishes because I think it tends to overpower, but in this recipe I like the addition of the lemon (although it's not traditionally included in a carbonara) because it brightened up the dish and made it feel much more appropriate for a spring/summer day. I think halving the lemon in this recipe provided just the right amount.

And now a word about leeks. Leeks (like shallots) seem to be very trendy lately. Rarely do I see a recipe that calls for onions anymore, it's always leeks and shallots, leeks and shallots. Not that I have anything against these cousins of the onion (in fact I quite like them) but the fact remains that trendy can sometimes = pricey. For instance: I can buy a 3 LB bag of onions for $2.00 OR I can buy 2 leeks for $2.00. My point here is that if you are trying to conserve (as I'm sure most of us are right now) you can usually substitute. No the flavor won't be exactly the same, but if you take the time to caramelize the onions (I would use 1/2-1 whole onion depending on the size) you will still end up with a delicious end-result. Don't think you have to stick to the premium ingredients to end up with a great dish. 

This recipe comes with the recommendation of The Lieutenant, who has added it to his new favorites list

To view the entire recipe, click here

On Recipes: No knead bread.

Let me tell you a secret.

I love bread.

Actually, it's no secret. Anyone who knows me will tell you how much I love bread.
Bread is delicious. I love soft bread, crunchy bread, warm bread, sourdough, wheat, garlic bread...
My love for bread knows no bounds.

Unfortunately despite my avid love, I know nothing about baking bread.

My mom, who is a great cook, grew up in South Philly. With an Italian bakery on every corner, buying was more economical than baking. Hence, the art of bread-making was never passed down to me. That's why this recipe is SO EXCITING! It's SO easy, even a bread-novice (aka me) can make it!

I baked my FIRST LOAF OF BREAD TODAY and it was delicious!
And yes, it came out looking just as rustic and amazing as the above picture. Thanks to Steamy Kitchen for sharing this awesome recipe to begin with!

If you've never baked bread before, don't be scared. All you need is:

3 cups bread flour  
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast 
1 teaspoon fine table salt 
1 1/2 cups warm water

When I made it, I didn't even use bread flour, just unbleached all purpose. The recipe also says you can use whole wheat flour, which I intend to try as soon as I finish eating this entire loaf all by myself

Now, if you'll excuse me...


Photo borrowed from Steamy Kitchen. For the entire recipe click here

On Recipes: Pumpkin Custard

I love pumpkin. So I made a pumpkin recipe and it was delicious.
The end.

What a good story.

I think I deserve a round of applause because as I have stated before, I am a horrible baker. I have no precision in the kitchen. I create things and mix ingredients while cooking and make decisions on a whim. Baking is scientific and I am not. Usually my attempts fail.

In this recipe I have, however, found a delicious pumpkin concoction that is somewhat fail-proof. This is a feat because most pumpkin recipes come in the form of pies, bread, cupcakes, muffins... all baked goods that I fear will flop. After trying it out, I have decided that this Pumpkin Custard recipe is a dessert made for failed-bakers like me and to prove so, I made it without measuring a single ingredient... and it was delicious. I especially recommend the crumble topping. To. Die. For.

I found the recipe at Tasteofhome.com. As far as my usual list of changes, there are really only two.

Firstly, I used 2% milk instead of the half-and-half. This was a decision based on necessity, as we had no cream or half-and-half in the house. If you have either, I would recommend it. The custard tasted delish with the milk but I imagine that cream or half-and-half would bring a richness and texture that it was missing. On the other hand, if you're looking to cut down on calories, it's nice to know that the milk substitute can be made without sacrificing all taste.

The second change I made is related to "pumpkin pie spice". I don't believe in buying pre-made spice mixes. Firstly, they are more expensive than buying the composite parts and secondly, they are limiting. Pumpkin pie spice, for instance, is made up of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ground ginger and sometimes allspice. I can think of a few uses for each of those spices separately but only one for them once they are combined. Also, my mother has an aversion to nutmeg in food and mixing the spices myself allows me to add just enough that she won't notice it.

I'm sneaky like that.

Try this recipe, it's good!


Click here for the entire Pumpkin Custard recipe

On Nutrition: disturbing food additives

This article is a disturbing investigation into some of the additives in the food we eat. It's written by Dave Zinczenko, the editor of Men's Health magazine and the author of the informative "Eat This, Not That" series of books. Did you know that Baskin Robins Oreo Layered Sundae has 78 total ingredients? I thought ice cream was pretty much just milk, cream and sugar. Apparently not. The article speaks for itself, so I'll just provide you with a horrifying excerpt:

"Before making its way onto the value menu, fast-food beef passes through the hands of a company called Beef Products... Beef Products cleans the meat with the same stuff the cleaning crew at Yankee Stadium might use to scrub the toilets—ammonia. Every week, Beef Products pumps some 7 million pounds of ground beef through pipes that expose it to ammonia gas that could potentially blind a human being." (Zinczenko on the Big Mac).

Um, GROSS. Like I said, disturbing.


What's Really in your Food?

As a commentary on this article, I was recently introduced to "The Little House on the Prairie Method" (an invention of my much-wiser older cousin). It's a good test when trying to avoid all these ridiculous food additives. The rule is, if they would have eaten it in Little House on the Prairie (or basically if your great-grandmother would recognize it as food) then it's probably OK for consumption. Otherwise, try to stay away.

I think we can all agree that an ammonia-burger would not pass the test.

On Recipes: Oatmeal Smoothie

Here I will review a recipe by my good friend, Martha.

Stewart, that is.

Now regardless of the fact that she did a brief stint in jail, I think we can all agree that Martha Stewart still has something to share. Granted, we may not trust her with our investments portfolio... but when it comes to whipping up a table spread or pumpkin pie, Martha is still golden.

You know what else is golden? This recipe. I'll tell you why: because there's literally NO technique needed to make a smoothie. You just dump it in the blender and let the magic happen. This recipe also rocks because the oatmeal really adds that extra UMPH that I need in the morning and the extra fiber keeps my stomach from growling by 9AM.

My recipe (which of course differs a bit from Martha's because I can't follow directions) is as follows:

1 handful of ice
1 handful of frozen blueberries
1 scoop of Greek Yogurt
1 small banana
1/2 c. (ish) of old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tbsp honey
a splash (or two) of milk

"Handful" is a measurement that I made up. The way you measure a handful of ice, for instance, is to stick your hand in the ice maker and grab a bunch of ice cubes. A handful of ice is a lot easier for me to understand than 1 cup of ice. As I said before, smoothies are not an exact science.

I also used Greek yogurt, just because I like Greek yogurt. It has a lot of protein and I try to substitute it wherever I can for the regular stuff. It's also thicker than regular yogurt so adjust the milk (or other liquid) accordingly if you decide to go Greek.

Finally, I decided to use blueberries instead of raspberries. I love blueberries. They're full of antioxidants. Enough said.

The only other thing I need to say is MAKE THIS. It was delicious, quick and satisfying.

Thanks, Martha.

Martha's Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe

On Recipes: Jalapeno Popper Dip

Today I am reviewing a recipe from my fellow blogger, Kevin of Closet Cooking. I chose this recipe because:

1. I enjoy reading Kevin's blog and can appreciate the challenge of cooking in a small space as I myself have lived in a few shoe-box sized apartments.
2. It is football season, which leads me to search out new recipes for what I call "kick-off food" (a not-so-nutritious but nevertheless tasty genre of cuisine)
3. The Lieutenant is inexplicably drawn to any dish that includes jalapenos, so I surmised that this recipe could not fail.

And now, on to the food:

This dip was everything that I thought it would be. It was spicy, creamy and just the right amount of h-o-t. I halved the recipe since I was not cooking for a crowd, however I could see this being a big hit at a party so if you're feeding more than two I would suggest sticking with the original recipe (you may even want to double it if your friends are really hungry). 

I made some slight adjustments to the recipe, some out of necessity and some because I am a terrible listener and do not know how to 100% follow directions

• I used only half of the fresh jalapeno that was called for (since I halved the recipe, that would be 1/2 of a pepper). I also removed the seeds and ribs, which is where most of the INTENSE heat is located. It is not noted in the original recipe whether Kevin of Closet Cooking did this... so I am not sure if he is a super-spicy maniac or if he left this step out.
• I left out the Parmesan Cheese. This gave the dish a creamier texture and it was still plenty cheesy.
• I used Extra Sharp Cheddar instead of regular Cheddar. Sharp Cheddar has an awesome flavor and I prefer it over regular Cheddar cheeses. I think it should be noted here that there is really no need to buy Cheddar cheese that is orange. Orange cheeses are colored by food dye. Go for the naturally white stuff- it's better for you. 
• I used Neufchâtel cheese in place of Cream Cheese. This is a learned behavior. Growing up, my mother always used this substitution to cut down on fat in dishes. I admit, it's not always a straight swap. In some dishes the flavor is compromised by not using the full fat Cream Cheese. In this dip, however, I think the Neufchâtel was a good substitute. The cheese and the mayonase lent a lot of flavor and the Cream Cheese was not missed. 
• I omitted the Panko bread crumb topping. This was a swap made from necessity. I was planning to do a substitution with regular bread-crumbs since that's what I generally have in my pantry. Alas, when I checked my stores, there were no bread-crumbs of any kind to be found so I settled for a cheese topping which I added during the last 5 minutes of cooking and popped under the broiler. I can see where the bread-crumb topping would add a little extra something though, so if you have the bread crumbs (Panko or otherwise) I would do it!

All in all, this recipe was a WIN. I plan to make it for The Lieutenant soon. Doubtless it will have him eating out of the palm of my hand in no time... at which point I will promptly ask if we can get a puppy. 

For the entire recipe click here!

Pictures borrowed from www.closetcooking.com

On Breakfast

I always say that someday I would love to own a restaurant.

When it gets right down to it, I'm not sure that I would like the hours and the pressure and everything else that it would entail. What I really love is creating things in the kitchen. The Lieutenant commented recently that I cook like a madman- and it's true. I don't bake. Baking requires measuring and a precision that I don't have. I whirl around making last minute decisions and additions. Cooking is much more forgiving than baking, which allows me to run wild.

I've been experimenting with breakfast a lot recently
Here are some delicious combinations I have come up with.

The Greek:
Eggs with Caramelized Onions, Wilted spinach, Feta Cheese and a few Red Pepper Flakes. Add mushrooms if you like.
(I like to serve this one omelette style)

The Cowboy:
Scrambled Eggs, Maple Bacon Slices, Sauteed Shallots and Pepper Jack Cheese
(The Lieutenant actually assisted on this one. We served it on a hot buttered bagel as a sandwich)

The Mexican:
Eggs with Green Peppers, Red Onions, Fresh Jalapenos, Topped with Salsa and Cottage Cheese.
(I like this best as a scramble, with a side of whole wheat toast)

The Country Boy:
Eggs and Country Ham with Melted Brie.
(This one is good served platter-style or as an omelette. Serve either with a side of whole wheat toast)

The New England:
Eggs with Sauteed Mushrooms, Onions, Maple Bacon Pieces, and Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
(I've done this as an omlette, but I think it would also be excellent as a sandwich on a croissant)


The great thing about breakfast as a starting place is that it's pretty forgiving and inexpensive to experiment with. It's food even my father (The Woodsman) can make. I hope my experiments inspire you to start some of your own. It doesn't take much to make a great breakfast and it's the little things that take it from blasé to fab! Don't be afraid!

& happy cooking! :]

Not So Special K (On Nutrition)

I don't know what it is about the snooze button. 5 more minutes can't honestly have that much of an impact on the rest of my day, but somehow I always feel it calling my name when my alarm goes off in the morning. By the time I get myself going, it's always at least ten minutes later than I had hoped.

I can't blame it entirely on the snooze button, but breakfast has become somewhat of a struggle.

I suppose this is a good time to mention the food transformation I've been going through recently. I started off 2011 by doing a fast with a group of friends. The idea was to give something up for the month January and become centered and focused on what is really important in this new year. Our group members gave up different things- everything from Facebook to meat to desserts. I gave up all animal products, sugars, and processed foods.

This fast resulted in a couple of things. The first (unintended but happy) side effect was weight loss, which can in no way be attributed to lack of eating. In fact, I was eating a diet that included a lot of olive oil, nuts, and carbs (always whole grains of course). I was actually eating more frequently, if anything.

Another result of this fast is that I was less tired and less grumpy with the same amount of sleep. I didn't even really crave or miss the things I had given up after a while.

A third, and lasting result is that I have become a label reader. I am no longer interested in eating foods with ingredients that I cannot say, spell, or understand. I am also trying overall to be more conscious of what I put into my body as fuel.

Which brings us back around to the breakfast struggle. In all reality, it has less to do my alarm clock and more to do with the ingredients list. When I saw Special K Red Berries in the pantry I rejoiced, assuming the day had been saved by a wholesome, quick breakfast choice. After all, commercials claim that Special K will help you to lose weight and develop a more healthy lifestyle.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I found sugar to be the second ingredient followed shortly thereafter by high fructose corn syrup. Really? Did we really need to include both of these? Why not just one or the other? While I was pondering this the answer came to me. Eliminating the one would likely boost the other right to the top of the ingredient list.

Want a challenge? Read the labels of what you eat. It's kind of intense but really enlightening.

I opted for some shredded wheat, btw.