Banana Bread

So I'm baking again these days. Lots of baking. Baking for the good of mankind! Well, maybe not all of mankind. Maybe just me, my boyfriend and his co-workers. Regardless, I'm making a difference in the world, one baked good at a time!

I'm still experimenting with Banana Bread, this time non-vegan for the more traditional mass market. At Cherryvale Farms we believe in organic, wholesome living. That means better quality foods and reducing our intake or refined sugars and flours. Notice I say reducing. We don't believe you have to remove traditional ingredients for the sake of health. Sometimes you just need to know where to pick and choose.

My eagerness to build a healthier banana bread is, in many ways, dedicated to Moms like my friend Catherine. She has a 13-month old baby and is concerned about the amount of sugar in kids foods. I too feel strongly about the amount of sugar we put into our family's bodies.

I have been researching a lot about the sugar substitute Stevia and I'm at a loss to figure out why the heck we didn't start using this sooner! South American cultures have been using the Stevia plant as a natural sweetener for over 400 years and yet we're just getting on the band wagon! Stevia has all the sweetness we look for in our processed goods without any calories and limited impact on the environment. I honestly had no idea. Consider me converted.

Using 2/3 white flour and 1/3 whole wheat flour, my version also ensures your family will get more whole grains. Take a look at the final results.

Low-Sugar / Semi-Whole Wheat Banana Bread 
(i.e. pretty darn good for you Banana Bread)

Email me if you'd like the recipe.

Banana Bread

Oh that traditional baked goodie you devoured as a child at the breakfast table! So sweet and delicious and made the whole house smell like sunshine. Where did those days go? Why isn't anyone baking me delicious sunshiny goodies on a Sunday morn? I feel so neglected. Pout.

One of my favorite Banana Bread recipes is actually not traditional at all: it's vegan. Why vegan, you ask? I have no idea. Sometimes I like to pretend I'm vegan. And covered in tattoos. And can ride a motorcycle. Because all those things seem to go together.

I love that this recipe features no refined sugars and almost no fat. Very healthy. Sort of. If you want to up the nutrition value of this bread even more, sub half the white flour for whole wheat flour. Add an extra tablespoon or two of applesauce to compensate for the denseness whole wheat flour usually adds. 

Vegan Banana Bread

2 ripe bananas (the browner, the better!)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup sweetener - maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 

Set oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bread loaf pan with vegetable oil. 

Sift your dry ingredients, set aside.

Blend your wet ingredients in a large bowl. If you want a really fine banana bread (no banana chunks) you can blend in a food processor.

Slowly blend in your dry to wet. Fold in 1/2 cup of nuts of your choice if you like. Pour mixture into pan and place in oven.

Bake for 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Though you and I both know that never happens.

I made a loaf of this bread the other night and decided to up the wow factor by "frying" pieces in a mixture of fresh squeezed orange juice and honey in a pan. The sugar from the honey crisps up the edges of the bread and adds a bit more sweetness. Top with fresh berries or whip cream and some toasted nuts. Yum.

Well Hello 2011!

Well hello 2011! And hello readers! It's 2011 and Cherryvale Farms is about to kick it into high gear. 2011 is already looking great and we can't wait to share more with you as our journey continues.

I'd like recap you on the past week since I (lazily) didn't post any new updates. It was a great trip to Northern California to see friends and family and eat far more than any normal person reasonably should.

Let's start off my noting there is always an endless supply of good food at my parents house. So when we arrived on Christmas day we were greeted by a delicious plate of truffled cheese, crisp bread and chips and dip. I mean, how can you not like chips and dip? It's like classic Americana. So we proceeded to stuff our faces Christmas afternoon until we were beyond full...then we had some dinner. A gorgeous roast of beef was joined by fingerling potatoes dripping with the beef au jus, accompanied by a salad. I don't eat beef often but I had no excuse not to dig into this prime piece of caveman deliciousness.

The eating continued the next morning with bacon and pancakes for breakfast. You know, light.

A few nights later we continued the food-a-thon with fried chicken, which you already drooled over.

The final night of our trip was a light vegetable pasta to bring in the New Year on a much healthier note. But, of course, we had to ruin it by our desire for a fresh banana cream pie. Marie Callendar's it was not. My mother started in on a baked pie crust while my father whipped up the banana custard and freshly (hand) whipped cream. You know, because at the end of a long day and a light meal, there's nothing better than spending an hour in the kitchen making an entire banana cream pie from scratch. 

I couldn't get a picture in before everyone started hacking away, so here you go. It's not Marie Callendar's perfect but damn was it good.

All of us at Cherryvale Farms hope your New Year is off to a great start as well! May Health, Happiness and Good Luck greet you throughout 2011.

Oatmeal Accoutrement

It was a lazy weekend...so of course I had to make something fabulous for breakfast (which took place at around noon I believe). Oatmeal sounded easy, healthy and a delightful way to start (er, continue?) the day.

I used quick cooking oatmeal and, to give it some punch, made my accoutrement plate. Included as condiments:

- Brown sugar
- Sliced apples
- Raisins (homemade in my dehydrator)
- Sliced bananas

Oatmeal Accoutrement

Not shown is some chopped walnuts, because I like a little crunch in my oatmeal. Topped off with a splash of milk (and a bit of coarse salt to bump up the flavors) it was a delicious, lazy breakfast.

Finished, yummy oatmeal