Test Kitchen: Banana Bread Birthday

Cooking and baking is all about interpretation. It’s always a privilege to try out someone else’s family recipes, particularly this tasty, simple banana bread that has been in Vitamin Daily Editor Sarah Bancroft’s family for four generations. I’ve taken her deluxe, super simple recipe and added a few WeeMunch touches to make it a little more holistic and to minimize those sugary highs and lows that our little’s ones get when they eat too much refined, white sugar and flour. I’ve also added Lisa-Marie’s cream cheese icing. My take on it requires half the maple sugar and a touch more cream cheese. That’s the great part about baking…learning about other people’s trade secrets, and, over time, making them your own.

I recently served this at my son Ilan's second birthday. And, while these banana bread cupcakes looked a little like those vegan, sugar and gluten free hockey pucks (Babycakes NYC Cupcakes) I served at his first birthday...our famillies were pleasantly surprised by the soft and delicious flavours of this year's creation. Try them.

Banana Bread

2 large eggs
1 cup of panela sugar (Read Truth about Sugar here)
½ cup of oil (unrefined preferred)
2 ripe bananas
1¼ cup spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 315 degrees F. Combine eggs, oil and sugar. Add mashed banana and nuts. Sift in flour and baking soda, stirring just until blended. Bake in well-greased loaf pan for about an hour. Sarah Bancroft’s Original Post

Cream Cheese Icing

200 grams organic cream cheese2 tbsp organic butter or ½ cup organic whipping cream, whipped.½ tsp. vanillaAdd 1/2 cup sifted maple sugar and ½ maple syrup

Beat for 3 to 5 minutes. Then refrigerate for a few hours. Spread on your banana bread right before serving. Enjoy.

Last Chance for Vancouver's Farmer's Markets

Beyond getting to park your bike in the bike valet, there is no better way to eat or learn about what's local than visiting your nearby farmer's market. In the last five years, Vancouver's farmer's markets have become a lively and well supported institution where you can now buy local meat and seafood, cheese, bread, produce, crafts and more. Visiting the markets on a regular basis is also a good way to get to know your local producers. I've started to develop relationships with an apiary in Abbotsford and a farm in the Okanagan. This can give you a closer connection to your food and provide a real sense of trust in knowing where your food is coming from. That's not something you get when shopping at a big box grocer, or even a place like Whole Foods.

The summer Farmer's Markets are now winding down, but believe it or not, many are still open until the third week of October. There is also a winter long market (location: tbd) and a one day holiday market on December 11, 2010 at the Croation Cultural Centre. Check for locations and dates here.

Zucchini Latkes

I just tried out making zucchini latkes and they are stellar. We’re going through another little “pesky about veggies” period. These periods don’t last long yet, maybe a few weeks at most, but I find that if I’m creative my little guy will eat his veggies. And, zucchini latkes were definitely a hit.

These wonderful summer fruits are now is season so you will be getting the most nourishment, including energy and vitality, out of these now while they are super fresh and in their prime.

Recipe

1. Grate one to two medium sized organic, zucchinis. Please leave the skin on for maximum nutrients.

2. Place your grated zucchini in a cheese cloth or tea towel and squeeze out the day’s frustrations…and the waters contained within. This will prevent your latkes from drowning in the pan. This might sound strange...but my little guy really enjoys drinking zucchini water. Try it out on your little one, you may be surprised.

3. Place the contents in a bowl. Add one egg and four to six tablespoons of whole spelt four. The egg will help to bind the zucchini together and the flour will dry up the remaining moisture.

4. Mix together. You can add some feta or raw, organic parmesan cheese if you like.
You could also grate in some broccoli stems, add some spinach. It’s up to you. Like the frittata, the latke is a great dish to toss in extra veggies and have some fun. Add some unrefined salt, pepper and a few chili flakes to taste.

5. In a medium sized pan, melt some organic butter. Place a spoonful of your mixture in and flatten with a spatula. Panfry on each side for about 3 to 5 minutes on a medium heat. I promise you and your little one will both enjoy it.

I can’t believe it’s not Kraft dinner: Butternut Mac n’ Cheese

Mac n’ Cheese has to be the most famous or rather infamous kiddie food staples around. Having heard the following, “Once she tried Mac n’ Cheese she wouldn’t eat anything else,” I avoided offering Ilan the Mac monster like the plague. Instead I focused on giving him a variety of healthy foods, and insisted on these options during those pesky fussy periods, and waited on the kiddie addictions until I felt he had cultivated enough of a desire and love for a variety of foods. Until now.

One thing that I’ve never quite understood is the pressure that some parents feel to offer their children certain (unhealthy) foods while they are too young to even crave them or are affected by the influence of other children. My philosophy has always been, if they don’t know it will hurt them…definitely don’t give it to them!

Just recently I introduced pasta to Ilan. And, of course, he loves it. What child doesn’t love those fun shapes and spirals that point to the stars? I pack as big a pasta punch as I can by using whole, brown rice pasta. Contrary to popular belief whole wheat pasta may sound good, but it’s very difficult to digest and is highly processed and modified. Brown rice pasta is no poor cousin to traditional semolina or white flour pasta either. It tastes great, has loads of fibre, is easier to digest and is gluten free.

Rather than making a traditional béchamel, I do the following:

1. Bring salted water to a boil and add a cup or more of pasta elbows. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain and let stand.
2. While your pasta is cooking, lightly sauté some butternut squash (steam first if you’re using fresh. I keep some well prepared frozen, cooked and cubed squash in the freezer to make this meal even quicker), Red pepper, and tomato in a frying pan with butter, olive oil, garlic and a pinch of unrefined salt and pepper.
3. Then place ingredients in a blender with a dash of cream, goat milk, buttermilk, soft tofu (We suggest using Sunrise/Soyganic, Superior Tofu or Eden brands) or water. Puree until well blended and creamy and smooth.
4. You’ll be stunned by the bold, orange colour of your sauce! Place a portion of your pasta in a ramekin, add your sauce and then cover with white, (raw, organic preferred) cheddar cheese. You can serve this way or if you have time place your filled ramekin in the oven to melt the cheese. Remove from the over and let cool or more the content into a cool bowl for serving to your little one. Enjoy!