Quarantine Banana Bread

It’s Day 71 of quarantine in New York City and now my 19th day alone in my apartment. Day 40 of quarantine was the 1 year anniversary of my mom’s death. Day 55 was Mother’s day. Day 65 I made my first batch of banana bread since the shelter in place started. For the first 30 days, all I saw blowing up my Instagram was people who had suddenly lost their fear of gluten, making their own bread with or without sourdough starters. I somehow missed that the biggest thing since sliced bread during this pandemic was actually Banana Bread. Why was this even a thing? Hasn’t everyone made banana bread before? Personally, I had no desire to bake my own bread. As for banana bread, I’d been making it since I was a kid with my mom so it wasn’t anything new. She always called it Banana cake and no matter how much I begged, she would only let me have about 1 tsp of the batter, my favorite part. She made it in a big rectangular glass pyrex dish and cut me a square of it to eat at breakfast and if I was lucky one for dessert at night. I survived those first weeks filled with walks, news and fears sans banana bread. Then 9 days ago, on my 76th Zoom of quarantine, someone mentioned the fresh baked banana bread on their counter in Los Angeles and I could smell it. I always tweak the recipes I find and the ones I create, never quite satisfied or committed to making something exactly the same way every time. But this time, this banana bread was perfect. I only wish my mom was around to have a bite.

The problem with perfect banana bread is that when you post it people somehow know it’s that good and they start asking for the recipe, which means you actually have to write it down. I am a messy, intuitive and creative chef not an organized, methodical and disciplined one. Thanks to lack of employment during this crisis, I am also a chef with more time on my hands. So this is dedicated to Camilla and friends.

Cut into it too soon, when it was still warm but you can how moist it is.

Still good after some days in the fridge.

Quarantine Banana Bread - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, No Refined Sugar

Sweet Glory Recipe inspired by @cookieandkate

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

• 1/3 cup coconut sugar (For sweeteners start with less and add more to taste. Some bananas are sweeter than others so less is more)

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas)

• 1 banana sliced length wise to put on top of bread.

• ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (Oat, Cashew or Almond. Or full fat dairy milk or yogurt.)

• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon (or to taste), plus more to swirl on top

• 1 pinch of nutmeg (about ¼ tsp)

• ½ tsp Ground Ginger

• ½ cup almond flour ( I prefer the fine almond flour but you can try either)

• ½ cup ground gluten free oats ( I prefer fresh ground to oat flour for flavor. Grind for 5-10 seconds in a coffee grinder or pulse in a food processor.)

• 1 Tbsp chia seeds

• 1 cup Glory’s GF flour blend * ( or 1 cup spelt or whole wheat pastry flour if you prefer gluten)

• Spray Coconut , Avocado or Olive Oil for greasing the pan ( or brush with a little melted coconut oil)

• Optional Powders /Potions: ½ to 1 tsp maca, ¼ tsp vanilla bean powder, ½ tsp bourbon

  ½ to 1 tsp adaptogenic mushroom blend (or pure reishi or chaga powders)

• Optional Mix ins: ½ chopped walnuts or pecans, Hu chocolate gems or other chopped coconut sweetened chocolate

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 325 if your oven runs hot) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, can put a cut piece of parchment on the bottom for easy bread removal after.

2. In a large bowl, beat the oil and sweeteners together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove)

3. Add the baking soda, vinegar vanilla, salt, spices and powders and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon or fork and stir in the flour mix, just until well combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.

4. Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan even the top with a spatula, place the sliced banana on top, sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into an area without banana on top comes out clean. If it doesn’t seem done you can turn down the oven to 300 and cook another 5 min. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.**

*Gluten Free Flour Blend:

For ease, you can use any pre-made/store bought gluten free flour mix just make sure it has something in it like Tapioca, Arrowroot, Xanthan Gum etc so that it binds to make up for the missing gluten. I prefer the Tapioca and flax combo as it’s less sketchy. Also if you buy one that has baking soda or powder do not add the additional tsp to the bread. My personal flour blend is below:

• Glory’s GF flour blend - Yields 1 cup

• ½ cup brown rice flour

• 2 TBSP Flaxmeal

• 2 TBSP Tapioca Flour/Starch

• 2 TBSP Buckwheat flour

• 1 TBSP Almond flour

• 1 TBSP Ground GF Oats

Storage suggestions: This bread is moist and gluten free, so it will keep for just two days at room temperature. Store it in the refrigerator for five to seven days, or in the freezer for up to three months or so. I like to slice the bread before freezing and defrost individual slices, either by putting in the fridge overnight and/or reheating them in the oven.

**Cooking notes: Don’t worry if it’s still a little wet under where the bananas are on the top of the bread. It’s got additional moisture there and might not cook all the way through like the rest of the bread. If this is the case and you wait for it to be perfectly cooked on top; then the rest of the bread will dry out. Trust me! If you have a convection oven or convection bake setting I would use that as it will help for more even distribution. When you reheat individual slices that top part will finish cooking as well.

An Oaty But A Goodie Cookie

I can’t believe I’ve never posted about this cookie before. It’s such a simple and satisfying recipe. I’m sure you are thinking “I can believe it, since you blog less than once a year these days.” OK fair point. I won’t even make a false promise to blog weekly from now on. That said this is a fave cookie recipe that originated as an off shoot of one I’d been making for years with peanut butter and chopped chocolate which you can easily convert this recipe back to. I had basically forgotten about this cookie like a favorite sweater I had worn to death and then stuffed in the back of a drawer or closet only to be noticed three years later and worn again with glee and pride. This is that cookie. I made them recently as a donation to a friend’s production of THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES where all proceeds went to supporting charities that work to end violence against women and the big love returned.

I originally created them for a trial interview for a new private chef client. She didn’t request sweets but I thought I would bring as an extra to give to her staff the next day. I was told she disliked chocolate ( turned out to be untrue) and that she had an employee allergic to peanuts (true) and the almond butter cherry cookie was born. I got the job and for the next three years this cookie remained on the monthly menu when other sweet and savory items got canceled, deleted, kicked to the curb or aggressively voted out.

It’s everything a cookie should be: chewy with a little crunch and just enough sweetness and spice- without all the guilt and an extra dose of fiber. I hope you agree.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled old fashioned oats ( gluten free oats if needed)

1 cup brown rice flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil softened or melted.

3/4 cup Maple Syrup or Honey ( can also combine them or mix with coconut sugar or date sugar)

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup raw almond butter ( I prefer creamy but crunchy ok)

2 TBS ground flaxmeal

2 TBS unsweetened nut milk

1 cup dried unsweetened dark or bing cherries ( see Note for other mix in ideas)

Spices to taste: I used cinnamon and ginger. Other options: nutmeg, clove, cardamom or allspice.

Spray Oil and Parchment paper or use a Silicone Mat

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Procedure:

In a bowl, mix oats, rice flour, salt and baking soda together

In a larger bowl, stir oil and sweeteners together.

Add almond butter, nut milk , flaxmeal and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Add rice flour/oat mixture and stir until blended. If mixture is too dry add a little water or more nut milk.

Add in spices to taste.

Add in dried cherries.

Using about 2 TBS of dough, form dough into balls and place on greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 11-12 minutes (the longer, the crunchier the edges).

Yield: 22-24 small cookies.

Note: Raw Almond Butter can be pricey but the flavor is very different. I love the Trader Joes Brand Raw Creamy Almond Butter at about 1/3 the price of other name brands. You can also make your own though I’ve found it isn’t really that cost or time efficient but if that’s your jam; go get your Vitamix and Cuisinart on. Just add raw almonds or lightly steam pasteurized almonds and a pinch of salt and blend forever.

Note Deux: You can use this recipe as a template for many other cookies. Sub different nut or seed butters and also other dried fruits or candies. At the holidays I love: sunflower seed butter, chopped chocolate and organic naturally colored chopped peppermint candies mixed in. For a more hippie vibe: Dried apricots and carob chips. To keep it unrefined sugar free use coconut sweetened chocolate like HU or Vita Organics.

Please feel free to share any creations you come up with!

Cookie Monster

So I've got the gluten free thing down by now. There's lots of ways to get at that angle. But grain free too- that's more challenging in baking. But one morning , as I was trying to give a client less grains but still a treat,  I was craving that challenge. I googled and analyzed recipes until I came upon one I sadly can't find to credit inspiration, and then set to work on amending it to my whims and preferences. If only baking was always that simple or life. (Sigh.) This time it was though and here is the result. Please enjoy.

Note: these are probably not low calorie but what they have in them are mostly ingredients that are full of fiber and will help with energy and keep your blood sugar from spiking and crashing and because they have real food in them, you will feel more satisfied when you eat them and by satisfied I don't just mean mentally or emotionally but also they are physically filling but not heavy.  They are also not some  gluten free fat free  packaged fluff that you could eat a whole bag of and then be keeled over in stomach pain while your brain is on a sugar high.  Lecture over now get crackin' at these cookies!

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies with Fleur de Sel

Gluten Free Grain Free Dairy Free Refined Sugar Free

   Ingredients

• ¼ cup organic coconut oil melted ( preferably unscented)

• ¼ cup coconut palm sugar

• 2 tablespoons raw honey

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1½ cups blanched almond flour or any almond meal

• 2 tablespoons coconut flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 1 1/2 coconut sweetened chocolate bars chopped about 2.5 oz

• 1 -2 tbs unsweetened nutmilk preferably homemade ( I use cashew or almond)

• 1 TBS flax meal

• 1/4 cup crumbled in hands raw pecans

• Fleur de sel to taste

Procedure: 

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.     In a food processor or blender, cream the oil, coconut sugar, honey, egg, nutmilk and vanilla for about 15 seconds until smooth and fluffy. You can also use a hand mixer or mix by hand with a large fork or tablespoon if that's all you've got.

3.     Mix the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, flax and sea salt mix the wet ingredients into the dry.

4.     Stir in the chocolate and pecans.

5.     Chill dough in the freezer for 10 minutes

6.     Place golf-ball sized balls of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a Sil-Pat. Using another sheet of parchment on top of the dough, flatten them slightly with the palm or your hand or a spatula. The cookies don’t spread much so create the size and thickness you want prior to baking them. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.

7.     Bake for 9-12 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges.

8. If you forgot the  Fleur de sel . Sprinkle it now. Let cookies cool briefly or they will fall apart. Then remove from tray with a metal spatula.

Notes:

1. They will be fine overnight but after a day put in the fridge as gluten free cookies can spoil or change consistency quicker. They should have another two-three days in the fridge.

2. You can also freeze the dough balls or a roll of the dough  if you only want to make a few at a time. Just make sure the dough is in in a freezer safe container or ziplock. 

Great Bars ( or balls) of Energy

I am always looking for new snacks both sweet and savory that are healthy. By "healthy" I mean made from real whole foods with no sketchy additives and some nutritional boost. I also prefer snacks I can make quickly that are grab and go.

A yoga teacher friend of mine made some energy bars, several years back and posted them on Facebook. I was inspired to come up with my own version of a cashew based energy bar. I love the creaminess of cashews and also how neutral their flavor is so you can add and mix in whatever you like. Hopefully, this recipe inspires you to be creative too. The only downside is that they have to stay in the fridge or freezer or they will soften to almost  a “butter” rather than a bar or a ball.

CASHEW ENERGY BARS

Gluten-Free  Grain-Free  Dairy-Free  Vegan Optional

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups “raw” cashews ( whole or pieces)

• 3 dates chopped

• 2 tsp virgin unrefined coconut oil

• 1 tbs raw honey ( or maple syrup to make vegan, or half a packet or two drops of Stevia if that's how you roll)

• 1 tbs flax seed meal*

• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 tsp ginger (optional)

• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

• 2 tsp maca powder (optional)

More optional add ins/add ons: 

• Cacao nibs

• Coconut sweetened Dark Chocolate ( chopped and mixed in, melted and dipped or whole pieces placed under the bar )

• Pecans

• Hemp Seeds

• Oats

• Granola

• Dried cherries

• Whatever your little heart desires.

Procedure

1. Place cashews* in a food processor. Process for 30 seconds.

2. Add coconut oil and salt. Process for another 30 seconds.

3. Add the rest of ingredients except the dates. Process until the mixture becomes a ball. Stopping to scrap down the sides as needed with a spatula. This should take less than 5 minutes.

4. Add in half of the chopped dates at the end. Process another 30 seconds.

5. Place the ball onto a cutting board or clean surface and flatten out. Fold in the rest of the dates.

6. Form into bars. This should make 5-6 bars depending on the size you like. Or Form into balls about 1.5 inches. This should make at least 15.

7. Add toppings or add ins. Or dip into melted coconut sweetened chocolate. If doing this place on parchment paper first.

8. Store in a freezer safe container in the freezer for a firmer bar. If dipped in chocolate and with pecans added might even give a “snickers” like experience. Or you can store in Tupperware or glass in the fridge

*Notes

• CASHEWS: “Raw” cashews are in quotes because no cashews in the United States are truly raw but are lightly steam pasteurized. This is said just to differentiate between these and “Roasted” cashews. They may also be sold in stores simply, as cashews.

• FLAX SEED: For nutritional purposes it is important that the flax seed be meal and not whole seeds as whole seeds have no nutritional value because they just pass through the body whole and are not broken down to receive the omega 3s and fiber. If you can’t find the meal you can grind whole seeds yourself in a coffee grinder or spice mill.

• SIDE NOTE. The reason no cashews are raw in this country is because cashews grow on a plant in the poison ivy family that is potentially poisonous so they need to be cooked for safety to remove any of the plant residue.

I would love to hear your thoughts if you try this and what add ins you come up with!

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