Banana Bread (Whole Wheat and Sugar Free)

This recipe was adapted from a Zucchini Bread recipe found in Breaking the Food Seduction by Dr. Neal Barnard. M.D.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour*
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups smashed banana (or pumpkin or shredded zucchini)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed (undiluted)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp canola oil (or vegetable)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Mist an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves in a large mixing bowl, and stir together using a dry wire whisk. Place remaining ingredients, except walnuts, in a separate bowl, stir together until well combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix just until dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Stir walnuts**, and mix until they are evenly distributed. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake on center rack for 50 to 55 minutes until cake tester comes out clean and let cool completely before slicing or storing. Wrap cooled bread tightly. It will keep at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerate up to 7 days, freeze up to 30 days.

*for a lighter textured bread, use 1 cup whole wheat, 1 cup all-purpose flour
**I don't like nuts in my bread, so I leave them out.

Penne with Cherry Tomatoes and Kalamata Tapenade

Technically this recipe is supposed to be for 1/2 pound of pasta, but I found that the tapenade covers much more pasta than that.

Pasta Ingredients:

1 pound whole wheat penne pasta (or your favorite pasta)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium-size red onion, sliced into thin half moons (about 1 cup)
1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

Tapenade:

1 1/2 cups kalamata olives, pitted
3 Tbsp capers, drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped
handful of fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup lightly packed)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
A few dashes of fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil

Prepare the tapenade:

Combine all the tapenade ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Prepare everything else:

Prepare the pasta according to its package directions. While the pasta is boiling, saute the onions and cherry tomatoes in the olive oil over medium heat for about 7 minutes.

Reserve a 1/2 cup of cooking water from the pasta and drain the rest. Add the pasta to the tomatoes and saute for a few seconds. Add 1 cup of the tapenade and the reserved pasta water; stir to coat. When the tapenade is heated through it is ready to serve.

If you have leftover tapenade, it's delicious to spread it on


Serves 2-4

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

2 Large unpeeled sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch strips lengthwise
1 Tbsp olive oil

Seasoning*:
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet. Combine oil, cumin coriander, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the potatoes and toss well to coat. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Use tongs to flip potatoes over, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until browned.

I used a Cajun seasoning instead and liked it better.

Miso-Glazed Salmon

I love fish. So when my friend suggested making this meal, I was more than happy to help out. He did most of the cooking (I was busy making vegan mint chocolate cupcakes), but I thought I'd post the recipe anyway. This is an adaptation from epicurious.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons white miso (fermented soybean paste; not sweet or labeled "saikyo")
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon water
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound medium asparagus, trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 (5- to 6-ounce) Salmon fillets with skin (1 inch thick)

Garnish: lemon wedges

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler. Lightly oil a 17- by 12-inch shallow baking pan.

2. Whisk together miso, sugar, lemon juice, water, and pepper in a bowl.

3. Toss together asparagus, oil, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.

4. Arrange fish, skin sides down, in baking pan and spread miso mixture evenly on top. Arrange asparagus in 1 layer around fish and broil 5 to 6 inches from heat until fish is just cooked through and asparagus is crisp-tender, 8 to 12 minutes.

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

I got this recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I know what you're thinking, as soon as I read the word vegan, I think "gross," but as it turns out, all you need to make chocolate taste good is fat and sugar. You won't even miss the eggs or the milk.

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 cup soy milk (original not vanilla)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola (or vegetable) oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract, chocolate extract (not imitation), or more vanilla extract
1 tsp mint extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed* or regular
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Mint-Icing Ingredients:

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp soy creamer or soy milk
1 1/2 tsp mint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
small drop green food coloring liquid or paste

Quick Melty Ganache:

3 Tbsp soy creamer or soy milk
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and other extracts, if using, to the soy milk mixture and best till foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay).
3. Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes (18 worked for me), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Mint Icing Directions:

1. Cream the shortening for a few seconds to soften it. (Easier to do with a fork than a handheld mixer).
2. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and a splash (tablespoon or so) of soy creamer (milk) and mix to incorporate. Alternately add sugar and creamer mixing after each addition, until all the ingredients are used and the icing is smooth and creamy.** Add the mint and vanilla extracts and coloring; mix to incorporate.

Quick Melty Ganache Directions:

1. Heat soy creamer in a small saucepan over medium heat till just about to simmer. Remove from heat; add chocolate chips and stir till chocolate is completely melted and creamer is incorporated. Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes. With a spatula scoop into a prepared pastry back or plastic bag with the tip chopped off or drizzle haphazardly with a fork. Quick Melty Ganache will set when fully cooked.

To Assemble:

1. When cupcakes have fully cooled, fill a pastry bag fitted with a #21 star tip with Mint Icing. Pipe the icing onto the cupcake in a spiral from outside in, leaving a little room on the sides for the cupcake to show through. Let the icing set while you prepare the Quick Melty Ganache.
2. Let the ganache cool to room temperature, stirring every once in a while to keep smooth. Don't use it while it is still hot or it will melt your mint icing. Use a tablespoon to dollop ganache on top of cupcakes. Top with your favorite candy decoration.
3. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes to let the ganache set before serving.

Makes 12 cupcakes
*Dutch-processed cocoa makes for a darker, chocolaty cupcake.
**I followed these directions, and my frosting was super runny. Next time I do this, I'll be sure to only add the soy milk as needed rather than all of it.