Healthier banana bread

The chocolate-laden banana bread I made on Sunday was quite a treat, but today I wanted a healthy way to use the remaining brown bananas sitting on my kitchen counter.

This recipe uses nonfat plain yogurt, half whole wheat flour, and just one egg.  While I wouldn't say it is completely healthy (there is still a fair amount of sugar), it is definitely a bit better for you than your average banana bread.  I also love that the recipe comes together in one bowl, so dishes are kept to a minimum.

1 cup mashed bananas (I used 3)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup white flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 5" loaf pan

Mash the bananas in a medium bowl, and stir in the sugars.

Add the yogurt, vanilla, and egg and mix well.

Add both types of flour, salt, and baking powder, and stir just until the flour disappears.  

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then slice and enjoy!

Yam sticks

There are a few reasons to love yams:  they are low in fat, a good source of fiber and vitamins, and they are a nice pretty orange color to top it all off.

Some people prefer their yams mashed up with butter and sugar and topped with mini marshmallows, but I will take these tasty baked yam sticks over that sugary mess any day!

Insanely simple, and also healthy, these are ready in about 20 minutes and are great alongside sandwiches or perfect as a snack on their own.  

1 yam 

cooking spray

salt

nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Wash and dry the yam (you know where they grow...best to clean them up first!)

Cut the yam into sticks (the thinner they are, the faster they will cook).  Try for uniformly sized pieces.

Spray a pan (I used an old cake pan, you could also use a baking sheet) with cooking spray.

Arrange the yams in a single layer.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring or flipping the pieces every five minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven, put the yam sticks in a bowl, and sprinkle with salt and freshly grated nutmeg.  I love the salty sweet combo, but if you just want the sweetness, use only the nutmeg.

Cocoa Banana Loaf

I came home from five days in Idaho to these bananas, which my husband bought the day I left specifically so they would look like this upon my return.  This was a subtle hint that he wanted me to make banana bread.

I wanted to include chocolate, because in my opinion, it makes just about everything better.  I found this recipe in "Baking by Flavor" by Lisa Yockelson, and it definitely does not disappoint.  The combination of cocoa in the batter and chocolate chips distributed throughout make a rich and moist bread with great banana flavor as an undertone to the chocolate.

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (I used 4 bananas to make this amount)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a 9 x 5" loaf pan with cooking spray

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. 

Cream the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes, then gradually add the sugar and beat for two minutes more.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla.  

Blend in the mashed bananas.

With the mixer on low, add the sifted flour mixture in two parts, mixing just until all the flour is absorbed.  

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 1 hour, tenting with foil if the top gets dark (I had to put a foil tent on for the last 20 minutes).

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for five minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
When cool, slice and enjoy.

(Note - I was so impatient I didn't wait until the bread was cool, so my slices were a little messy but that was fine with me!)

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake

I am a huge fan of homemade baked goods, and I try to stay away from packaged foods with artificial ingredients.  But there is just something about Oreos I can't say no to.   Ever since I was young and my sister and I used to peel them apart and lick the filling (then be sorely disappointed by the dry cookie that remained), I've had a soft spot in my heart for these cookies.

They are the inspiration for this cake: Two layers of chocolate cake with a layer of cookies and cream ice cream sandwiched in between, covered with vanilla buttercream.

Begin by making the cookies and cream ice cream:

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbsp flour

pinch salt

10 Oreo cookies, finely crushed

Put the milk and cream in a large saucepan.

Cut open a vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the milk, then drop the pod in to maximize the flavor.

Bring just to a simmer.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, and flour in a medium bowl.

Whisk about half of the simmering milk-cream mixture into the eggs.  Mix well, then pour back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.

 

Cook over medium for several minutes, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. 

Pour through a strainer into a large bowl, and set in an ice bath to cool, stirring occasionally.

Line a 9" cake pan with plastic wrap.

While the ice cream mixture cools in the ice bath, bake your favorite chocolate cake (I used Dorie Greenspan's Devils Food recipe but you can use whatever you like best) in two 9" pans.

Cool the layers on a wire rack.

Pour the cooled ice cream mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.  

Just before removing the ice cream from the ice cream maker, stir in the crushed Oreos until they are evenly distributed.

Pour into the plastic wrap-lined pan and put in the freezer until firm (an hour or two).
Once the ice cream layer is firm, place one cake layer on a plate, and invert the pan with the ice cream over it.
Peel off the plastic wrap and place the other cake layer on top.
Return the cake-ice cream sandwich to the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Make some frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
2 tbsp shortening

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp meringue powder
2 tsp water

Beat the butter and shortening in a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment.
Beat in the vanilla.
Sift together the powdered sugar and meringue powder and add gradually to the butter.
Mix on medium speed while you add the water, 1/2 tsp at a time, until you have the desired consistency.

Crush about 15 Oreos. (I put them in a large Ziploc bag and pound it with my fists - great stress relief!)

Remove the cake from the freezer and frost, working quickly.

Press the Oreo crumbs onto the sides of the cake, then return it to the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Get the cake out once more, and decorate as desired, then return it to the freezer until ready to serve.

A twist on Tom Ka Gai

I wanted to make a version of tom ka gai (Thai chicken and coconut soup with lime) that was vegetarian and included noodles.  I used some things I found in my pantry and put together this soup.  The lime juice stirred in at the last minute is what makes this soup so amazing.  If you prefer hotter foods, feel free to add more chiles!

3 or 4 pieces dried galangal (or 3 or 4 slices of fresh galangal, if available)

1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 1" lengths

4 chiles de arbol, stems and seeds removed

1/2 tsp sugar

3 cups vegetable broth (chicken broth is fine too, if you aren't making this vegetarian)

8 oz nigari tofu, cut into 1" strips

1 16 oz can lite coconut milk

salt

juice of 2 large limes

6-8 oz dried rice sticks

Fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large saucepan, boil the galangal in 1 1/2 cups water for about 10 minutes. (Skip this step if you are using fresh)

Stir in the broth, chiles, lemongrass and sugar and simmer while you prepare the tofu.

Heat a medium nonstick frying pan over medium high heat and add half the tofu.  Stir fry for several minutes, until golden brown. 

Set aside and repeat with the other half of the tofu.

Stir the tofu, rice sticks, and coconut milk and cover, simmering until the noodles are soft.

Taste and season as needed with salt.

Using tongs (to help with the noodles) and a ladle, distribute the soup (avoiding the galangal) into 4 bowls.  Stir in about a tablespoon of lime juice, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Simple Thai cabbage stir fry

I had an entire head of cabbage in the fridge and wanted to try out a new recipe for stir-frying it.  I was making a Thai soup for dinner, so I turned to my favorite Thai cookbook for ideas.  This one is quick, simple, and complements a wide variety of Thai dishes very nicely.

adapted from Thai Cooking from Siam Cuisine Restaurant

1 head cabbage, core removed and leaves cut into thin strips or bite-sized pieces

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp yellow bean sauce (available in Thai or Asian markets - look for the one in the jar, not the bottle)

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp golden mountain sauce (available in Thai or Asian markets - substitute soy sauce if necessary)

1 tsp sugar

Stir together the oyster sauce, golden mountain sauce, and sugar in a small bowl

Heat large skillet over high heat.

Add oil, and when it is hot, add the garlic and yellow bean sauce.

Cook, stirring, until just golden brown.

Add the cabbage and stir fry until wilted slightly.

Pour in the sauce/sugar mixture.

Stir fry for another minute or two, until the sauce is evenly distributed and the cabbage is crisp-tender.

You too can cook Indian Food!

I fell in love with Indian food a long time ago, but it took a few years for me to actually attempt to make it myself. I was intimidated by recipes, with all the ingredients in another language, and I didn't even know how to get my hands on most of the ingredients.

Browsing through my aunt's fantastic cook book collection, I came across Bombay Cafe, which had simple recipes that were accessible and sounded great. Although it is now out of print, my sister found a copy and gave it to me for my birthday. I scanned through the recipes I wanted to make (virtually all of them, it turned out), and made a list of ingredients that I would need. If you are lucky enough to be in a major metropolitan area, you probably are not too far from an Indian grocery store, to which I highly suggest a visit!

I have now built a decent pantry of Indian staples, and I'm happy to say that I already had everything I needed to make this recipe...except sambar powder.  In fact, I didn't even know what that was.  Thanks to google, I found about 15 different variations and came up with the one I made for this recipe.  Since I've never had it before, I have no idea how it compares to authentic sambar powder.  All I can say is that these are some pretty tasty lentils!

(Any ingredients you are not familiar with are easy to find in an Indian grocery store, or online!)

South Indian Toor Dal

(adapted from Bombay Cafe by Neela Paniz)

1 1/2 cups dry toor dal

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/4 tsp salt

4 tbsp vegetable oil

pinch asafoetida

1 tsp mustard seeds

8 to 10 fresh curry leaves

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 to 4 chiles de arbol, stems and seeds removed and broken in half

3 tbsp sambar powder (below)

3 roma tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup dried unsweetened coconut

2 tbsp lemon juice

chopped cilantro for garnish

Soak lentils in warm water to cover for 20 to 30 minutes.  

Drain and place in a saucepan with 5 cups of water.

Bring to a full boil and skim off any foam that rises.

Reduce heat to medium.

Add onions and cook for about 30 minutes, or until lentils are completely disintigrated

Skim off foam, being careful to avoid onions or remove too much liquid.

Add salt and reduce heat to low.

Heat 3 tbsp oil over medium heat in a small skillet with a lid.

Add the asafoetida, mustard seeds, and curry leaves, covering immediately to avoid splatters.

After about 30 seconds, add the cumin seeds and chiles.

30 seconds later, add the sambar powder, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned.

Add the tomatoes and cook for about a minute.

Stir this mixture into the lentils.

Wipe out the small skillet and heat the remaining oil.

Stir fry the coconut for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown.

Stir the coconut into the lentils.

Remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice.

Garnish with the cilantro.

Great served over basmati rice or scooped up with chapati or naan.

Sambar Powder 

makes about 2/3 cup

2 tbsp red lentils

1 tsp cumin seeds

6 chiles de arbol, torn into pieces and stems and seeds removed

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp dried unsweetened coconut

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp asoefetida powder

6 dry curry leaves

In a dry skillet over medium, toast the lentils until they are fragrant and just browning, and set aside.

Repeat with cumin seeds, chiles, and mustard seeds.  If the pan gets smoky or the seeds turn black, discard and start again because they will throw off the flavor.

Combine the toasted lentils, chiles and seeds with the rest of the ingredients in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, and process to a fine powder.