Banana Bread

I usually make this bread for special occasions, such as Thanksgiving, birthdays, and events. In celebration of the end of the term, my Spanish class had a mini fiesta after our group presentations (which were HILARIOUS, btw). I will give you the single batch recipe, but the photos represent a double batch.

Preheat oven to 350

1 cup turbinado sugar

1/2 cup earth balance

2 very ripe bananas - the browner, the sweeter, the better

1/2 cup Vanilla soymilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 4 tbsp warm water

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Sugar. I normally don't use sugar. I like my agave nectar for mostly... everything. But for this recipe, it's delicious. I love this bread a lot and I am hesitant to change anything, maybe one of these times I will experiment with other sweeteners.

Earth Balance. I measure it accurately but adding water into a measuring cup and then adding butter until it reaches the amount needed.

Cream sugar and earth balance.

Add bananas. The browner, the sweeter, the better. If you have the time, unlike I did, store your bananas in a brown paper bag to help speed up the browning process.

Mix just enough to incorporate the bananas.

Add soymilk...

...Vanilla extract...

...egg replacer...

...And mix again.

In separate bowl, add flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix.

Add dry ingredients to wet.

Mix until everything is incorporated.

Add to greased loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Let cool and ENJOY.

Tip: If you let it cool for about 15 minutes and then wrap the bread in plastic wrap or foil, it will lock in the moisture. Yum.

Seitan Cheesesteaks!

I had the pleasure of hanging out with some friends, whom happen to be one amazing and lovely family, a few weeks back. For the first time, and hopefully not the last on this blog, here is a meal prepared with friends. Enjoy, we sure did!

And are they not just the cutest family, EVER?

So, mushrooms and a green bell pepper, sliced. [I don't really have photos from every step, wasn't trying to be a photogeek.]

Onion.

Lindsay made this AMAZING Seitan the night before. And let me just tell you, it was oh so good. She wrote the recipe down for me and I shall share it with you:

Lindsay's Seitan "O" Greatness

Preheat oven to 325.

1 1/2 c. vital wheat gluten flour

1/4 c. Nutritional Yeast

1 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Paprika

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Cumin

1-2 tsp. Pepper

1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/8 tsp. Allspice

1-3 Garlic Cloves

3/4 c. Cold Water

4 tbsp. Tomato Paste

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

2 tbsp soy or vegan Worcestershire

Mix dry, mix wet, then mix together (her recipe really says that, she is a girl after my heart. Simple and too the point).

Knead for several minutes.

Form log, wrap in foil, and twist ends.

Bake for 90 minutes.

Let cool all the way.

Enjoy.

The lovely Lindsay preparing her pre-cooked seitan for the cheesesteaks!

Add bell pepper.

Add mushrooms.

Add liquid aminos and cover.

Cut hoagies and toast. The Annie's in the background was used as a spread and it was delicious.

Add all the goodness to the hoagie, add spread, add daiya cheese.

(this daiya photo is not mine. found via google)

And enjoy this amazing Seitan Cheesesteak. I can't wait to make this one again.

Quick! Grab that from the Pantry Quinoa Salad.

I have been quite neglectful of this blog lately. Whatever, life happens. Parenting happens. School happens. So be it.

So, here is something I made a while back and forgot to upload. It's a semi-quick quinoa salad thing. It sounds kind of weird, I'm sure of it. But believe me, it is delicious. My parents can vouch for that.

Start by making quinoa.

Dates, the secret ingredient. Chop them up...

My photos are lacking because this really was a last minute, kind of forgot to document meal.

Light oil, garlic, celery.

Add some baby spinach.

After spinach is a little bit cooked, throw the celery / spinach into the quinoa and continue cooking as usual.

Meanwhile, can of black beans - heat for a little bit until they get a nice flavor.

Beans, dates, bowl.

Add quinoa/spinach/celery

Add some sliced almonds. Mix.

Voila. Quick, painless, and pretty darn good.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Inspired by a few different recipes and some personal favorites, I created this recipe! So tasty.

Bell peppers, tomatoes, jícama, onion, mushrooms, tomatillos, carrot, spinach, cilantro, (not in photo: corn, olives, quinoa)

I prepared everything; finely chopped carrot.

Chopped onion.
mushrooms.
Spinach.
¡Jícama! ¡Me encanta!

Chopped.
I used canned (ALWAYS ORGANIC, the majority of us corn is genetically modified, eek) corn and olives.

Cilantro.
Take the tomatillos, with husk, and roast them for about 5 minutes (maybe 7) at 450 degrees.

In the mean time, start cookin'! In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil and add the onions, carrots, and mushrooms. For about 5 minutes. Stir periodically.

Between stirrings, mash cilantro.

After five or so minutes pass, add spinach, garlic, and some turmeric.

In the mean time, prepare tomatillos. Remove husks and wash.

thin, quartered slices.

After the spinach is good and ready, add the jícama, corn (I only used half of what I planned on using), and olives (keep some set aside for garnish). Also, add quinoa and water.

Bring to a boil, add tomatillo and cilantro, cover, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until water is mostly gone.

Dice tomato & thinly slice tomato.

Once water is gone, remove from heat, add diced tomatoes, keep covered for 5 or so minutes and then fluff/stir.

During those 5 minutes, cut peppers in half. Put on pan & pour some water on bottom of pan.

Stuff those peppers!

Cook at about 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes covered with foil. After time has passed, add tomato slices, olives, and your cheese, if you so desire. I hadn't ever tried Daiya vegan cheese, but I read it was plant based and the best, so first time for everything! Bake for another 5-10 minutes (until cheese is melted).

Put some avocado on it and it's done and delicious! And for the record, the Daiya cheese was pretty fabulous.