Banana Crumb Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 bananas, mashed

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted  (or oil)

Topping:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Banana Bread

2 c all purpose flour

1 c sugar
1 TB baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 c mashed ripe banana (approx 2 med)
1/3 c milk
1/3 c peanut butter
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 egg
1 c choc chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray bottom only of loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In the bowl of your stand mixer or in another large bowl if making by hand combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil and egg; stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in ¾ cup of the milk chocolate morsels. Spoon batter into pan. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup of milk chocolate morsels evenly over batter.

Bake 60 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Watch and check the last ten minutes because oven temperatures vary and you do not want to overcook it! Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove loaf to non stick cooling rack cool completely. Cut into slices using a serrated bread knife.

Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Salad

6 cups fresh baby spinach
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 avocado, diced (or you can double this to 2 avocados!)
4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese or feta cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
half a small red onion, thinly sliced
poppyseed dressing (recipe below)

Poppyseed Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup avocado oil (or any oil, such as olive oil)
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
pinch of ground dry mustard (optional)
Himalayan salt and pepper

Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

 2 cloves garlic, minced

  1 small onion, diced

  2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

  2 medium carrots, sliced

 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)

  2 tbsp olive oil

2 C cooked black beans

 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes or tomato sauce

    1/2 cup vegetable broth

  1 tbsp chili powder

   1 tsp cumin

    1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

  1/2 tsp garlic powder (opt.)

   1/2 tsp salt

  1/4 tsp black pepper

Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil for a minute or two, then add sweet potatoes, carrots and bell pepper until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low, and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well.

Simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until flavors have mingled and vegetables are cooked.

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Black beans with sweet potatoes

•  1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile (opt.)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 4 C cooked black beans
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 4 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

   

Dutch Apple Pie

Filling

7 apples, peeled and sliced
1 C sugar
2 T flour
1 t cinnamon
dash nutmeg, salt

Combine. Pour into crust.

Topping

1 C flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1 cube (or less) butter (not melted)
cinnamon

Cut butter in with a pastry blender. Set topping over apples in pie tin.
Cover with foil for half of baking, so the topping won't burn.
Bake at 350 for 40 min.

part of our Thanksgiving spread

Eggplant Lasagne

2 large eggplants, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

thyme, salt, pepper, oregano, basil  

Parmesan cheese

pasta sauce

grated mozzarella cheese

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Brush on both sides using 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until it is soft and golden. Turn slices halfway through, about 25 minutes.

Spread half of pasta sauce on the bottom of baking dish. Lay eggplant slices on top followed by a layer of cheese.  Repeat layers.  Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.

Optional:  add sautéed mushrooms and onion, or sliced (uncooked) zucchini

 

Falafels

·                         2 C cooked chickpeas

·                         1 red onion, chopped

·                         1/4 cup whole-wheat flour (or whole wheat breadcrumbs or quick oats)

·                         1 1/2 tbsp. chopped garlic

·                         1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

·                         1/2 tbsp. ground cumin

·                         3/4 tsp. salt

·                         1/2 tsp. baking powder

·                         1/4 tsp. lemon juice

·                         1/8 tsp. paprika, or more to taste

·                         black pepper, to taste

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place all ingredients (except baking powder) in a food processor, and give them a good chop.  (or mash with a potato masher)   Transfer into a bowl, add the baking powder and stir together. Using a potato masher, mash any big chunks that remain – Mixture should remain slightly chunky, not smooth.

            Spray a baking sheet thoroughly with olive oil nonstick spray. One at a time, take spoonfuls of mixture in your hands and form 15 balls, each about the size of a ping pong ball, and gently place them on the baking sheet.   Spray the top of each ball with olive oil nonstick spray, for a total of about a 2-second spray.

              Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

          Remove baking sheet from the oven, and carefully turn each ball over, gently reshaping if the bottoms have flattened.     Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Allow to cool and set for at least 5 minutes.

               To serve:  Cut the whole pitas into halves, fill with spinach, 3 falafel balls, diced tomato, and top with spinach and sauce.

                                Cucumber Sauce:                         

  6 ounces plain yogurt or light sour cream                        

  1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

1    1 teaspoon dried dill weed

      salt and pepper to taste

  optional:  1 tablespoon mayonnaise  

      Hummus sauce:  combine 2 parts hummus to 1 part water, and stir until blended. Season to taste with salt / black pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.