Unhealthy Banana Bread (and other stuff)

Dear Turkey,

Sometimes I get tired of healthy, vegan baking. But I do think it's true that if you're used to stuff that isn't full of refined sugar and fat, it's easy to think that stuff is too sweet (M&Ms excepted), especially baked goods. Like, baked goods from the store are generally gross (HoHos excepted).

This is a chocolate-y, dense banana bread that is made with whole wheat flour and doesn't have tons of sugar, for when you just want something with that butter-and-eggs springy-ness. (For example, when I feed my child my usual healthy banana bread, I have to dustbust the floor because it's just that much more crumbly.)

"Unhealthy" Banana Bread (I wouldn't go so far as to call this a cake):

Ingredients (mix in this order):

1 stick butter, melted (use some to grease a loaf pan)
1 c sugar
a generous splash of vanilla
2 eggs
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1 c whole wheat flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t allspice
1 scant c soymilk/milk of your choice mixed with 1 t lemon juice
1 c mini chocolate chips

Mix it all together, stirring a lot after the first few additions, less when you add dry ingredients. Bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 45 mins-1 hr.

While we are on the subject of making things more delicious with just a little of the "bad stuff" (note: M&Ms are not bad), here is a beans and rice update. You probably know that I love to not stir my beans while they are cooking. so that I can get a nice honey-y crust on the bottom for ultimate umami-ness. I just heat some olive oil, garlic, honey, jalapenos, cumin, and lemon juice, and then pour in the beans (undrained). I cook them until most of the liquid is gone and I'm scared that they are about to burn. Then I wait 30 seconds. Then I turn off the heat. 

It turns out that I can apply the same technique to the rice, too (this is easy at my house where I just leave the rice cooker on "warm" for a while). After cooking the rice, I saute it a little in some olive oil or butter, lime juice, salt and turmeric. Then I let the bottom get a little brown. Not as brown as for paella, but brown enough that meat eaters still think my cooking is delicious.

 

Enjoy,

Tofu