ChezCindy: Whole Grain Chocolate Banana Bread

Banana bread so delicious, who cares that it is made with healthy whole grain flour.  That's just a bonus.  This easy recipe comes together quickly mixing everything by hand, yielding a tender muffin-like crumb. 

This banana bread smells so amazing while it bakes and cools, you'll be tempted to eat it soon after coming out of the oven.  When baking with whole grains, it is best to allow the baked goods to fully cool so that the structure sets up, allowing the shape to take hold.  Wait to cut into this bread for a full hour.  Then, enjoy!

Whole Grain Chocolate Banana Bread

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup spelt flour*

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

1 large egg

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup mashed ripe bananas - 2-3 bananas

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour standard baking loaf pan, 9x5 inch. 

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, soda and salt.  Chop the chocolate; add to the flour mix. 

In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg, then add the cooled melted butter, vanilla, banana and yogurt.  Stir to combine.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; gently fold together with a rubber spatula until the flour mixture is just incorporated. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake on the center rack for 50 - 60 minutes until the center of the loaf is set - a toothpick inserted should come out clean.  Cool in the pan for 15 minutes.  Turn out onto a rack for about 60 minutes to cool completely.

* If you cannot find spelt flour, use 1 cup of whole wheat or use white all-purpose flour.   

ChezCindy: Nothing Says 'I love you' like Cheesy Kale Chips

Cheesy Kale Chips

I don't recall how I first learned of nutritional yeast, but it was several years ago.  I must have seen it promoted somewhere for use with popcorn for a cheesy seasoning substitute.  I'm not vegan or vegetarian, but like to learn of products that may benefit my overall health.  I started out with the small container from Bragg, a well established source for health food products.  I quickly exhausted my supply and moved on to the large container from Whole Foods.  Nutritional yeast is a power source for vitamin B and a bit of protein.  It is often used as a cheese substitute and adding umami punch to vegetable soup.  I like it for it's nutritional benefit and for the taste!  I now generously sprinkle nutritional yeast on my popcorn, kale chips, and roasted vegetables.  Below is a delicious recipe for cheesy kale chips that is quite addictive.  Serve to your loved ones with abundance and share the love.

Cheesy Kale Chips
1 large bunch of kale
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Rinse the kale leaves and dry thoroughly with kitchen toweling or salad spinner.  Remove the tough stems and tear the kale leaves into pieces, about 3-4 inches.  This does not have to be precise, but don't tear too small as the leaves shrink while baking.  This should yield about 6-7 cups.  Place the oil, nutritional yeast and seasonings into a large bowl; stir to combine.  Add the kales leaves and massage the leaves so that the oil mixture is evenly coated on all of the leaves.  Using your hands is the best process here.

Spread the kale leaves out onto 2 large baking sheets into a single layer.  Avoid overcrowding the sheets, spreading out the leaves so that they don't overlap.

Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes.  Pull the sheets from the oven. Using a spatula, gently stir the leaves for even cooking.  Return the sheets back to the oven for an additional 2 minutes; total baking time is about 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  Slide the kale chips from the trays onto a paper towel.  The chips will continue to crisp as they cool.  Serve when cool.  Store in an air-tight container. 

Book pictured is Let Them Eat Kale, by Julia Mueller.  Recipe is adapted from her recipe included in the book. 

ChezCindy: Cookies and Wine

Yes, cookies and milk are the classic childhood pairing, but as we look towards Valentines Day, perhaps think a bit differently.  Consider decadent cherry chocolate cookies and a beautiful red wine.  Maybe the wine is the small amount left from dinner - as we did here.  Our discovery was that the sweet cherries highlighted the berry notes in the red wine.  And red wine and chocolate are always fabulous together.  Consider making these cherry chocolate cookies for a sweet finish to your Valentines dinner.  Or for any dinner occasion when there is red wine!  

Wines to consider for pairing are Oregon Pinot Noir or French red Burgundy.  Pictured here is a medium bodied Italian red wine.

Cherry Chocolate Cookies

If you can make chocolate chip cookies, you can easily make the switch to this double chocolate cookie with dried cherries and toasted pecans.  Enjoy!

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (or use chocolate chips)

1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

1 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl; whisk to combine.  Set aside.

Working with an electric mixer, add the softened butter and brown sugar to the mixing bowl; mix until pale and fluffy.  Add the eggs one a time, mixing until combined.  Reduce the speed of the mixer, gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.  Add in the chopped chocolate, chopped pecans and dried cherries.  Mix until just incorporated.  Less mixing overall creates a more tender cookie.   

Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, place on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing each about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookie is puffed and no longer appears glossy.  Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.

ChezCindy: Easy Summer Grilling

It's time for summer grilling.  Easy and enjoyable as you listen to the sounds of cicadas, watch the occasional flutter of a butterfly, and catch a glimpse of the beginning flicker of fireflies.  

Keep the evening meal simple by using a compound butter.  When grilling meat, chicken, fish, vegetables or even fruit, there are a myriad of marinades, rubs and sauces available.  But one of my favorites is compound butter.  Compound butters are great to have on hand, stored in the freezer, ready to melt gently into your grilled food imparting a great impact of flavor.  

I recently created a new combination using ground turmeric, garlic and fresh oregano.  The turmeric is a surprise ingredient that provides the gorgeous golden color.  Slather onto grilled steak hot from the grill, corn on the cob, and grilled bread.  Simple and delicious as you enjoy a beautiful summer evening.  

Golden Garlic Butter
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine all ingredients into a small bowl.  Stir to combine.  Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap.  Spoon the butter onto the plastic wrap.  Shape the butter into a log; roll up in the plastic wrap.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.  Store the remaining butter in the fridge for 3-5 days or 1 month in the freezer.

ChezCindy: Italian Cauliflower & Tomatoes

Italian Cauliflower & Tomatoes

For those who love Italian food, but are looking to eat less pasta or meat in their diet, this is the dish for you. This recipe uses fennel seed and fresh basil to bring forward the traditional Italian flavors, resulting in a delicious main course or side dish.  Because the cooking process is quick over high heat, the cauliflower losses the bitter, strong taste that people hope to avoid. Fresh grape tomatoes provide sweetness, with Parmesan cheese to complete the dish.  And it comes together within minutes of prep and cooking time.  Try serving as a side to grilled Italian sausages or seasoned chicken breasts; or simply serve as your next "Meatless Monday" meal. 


Italian Cauliflower & Tomatoes
1 head of cauliflower
1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 teaspoons of fennel seed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 sprig of fresh basil
kosher salt and course ground black pepper


Working with a head of cauliflower, remove the green leaves, stems and core.  Slice the head in half.  Then slice into planks, providing a flat surface area so that the cauliflower will have good contact with the pan.  Next, using a large non-stick saute pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, place over medium-high heat.  Allow the pan to get hot, swirling the oil to coat the bottom.  Add the planks of cauliflower in a single layer so that all of the pieces have contact with the pan, filling in with the little bits that have crumbled.  With a large head, you may need to do this in small batches, adding more oil as needed.  Do not stir or turn for several minutes.  Using tongs, peek at the cooked side of the cauliflower plank to see if it has browned like in the picture below.  As each plank has browned, turn over so that each piece has become beautifully browned.  This just takes a few minutes.  Remove the cauliflower from the pan; set aside.





Cut the tomatoes in half and add to the pan along with additional olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Add the fennel seeds, sauteing until the tomatoes have browned and given up their juices.  Add the cauliflower back into the pan, stirring to combine.  Turn off the heat; add the grated Parmesan cheese and basil over the top and serve.  

ChezCindy: Broccoli Salad - Updated

Old-style broccoli salad is a favorite from years gone by.  You may know this salad as having raisins, lots of crisp bacon, mayonnaise, and just a bit sugar that tastes so good; just the right balance of salty from the bacon and sweetness from the sugar.  My recipe updates this family favorite by using chopped raw kale, dried cranberries, fresh grapes, and of course, fresh broccoli.  However, I don't like the tough texture of raw broccoli, so I do a quick blanch just until it begins to soften.  If you're okay with raw broccoli, skip this step.  I've also cut back on the amount of bacon, just using enough to appreciate the smoky flavor it lends.

 
Make this for your next family gathering or eat the whole recipe yourself as you binge-watch a favorite show.  No need to feel guilty - broccoli is 30 only calories per cup!

Broccoli Kale Salad
4 cups broccoli florets
3 cups kale leaves, chopped
1 cup red or black seedless grapes
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cooked bacon
1/3 cup toasted unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon oil

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper

 

Begin by blanching the broccoli in the microwave.  To do this, place 2 tablespoons of water into a large microwave safe bowl.  Add the broccoli florets to the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 minute.  The bowl will be hot, so using hot pads, remove the bowl form the microwave and set aside for 1 minute.  Using a large slotted spoon, remove the broccoli from the bowl, spreading it onto a sheet tray lined with paper towels to stop from cooking further.  The broccoli should just lose some of the rawness and not be fully cooked.  This cooking step can be eliminated if you prefer raw broccoli.

 
Remove the kale leaves from the tough stems; chop the leaves into small strips and place in a large bowl.  Drizzle the tablespoon of oil over the kale leaves, sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.  Massage the oil into the kale leaves until the leaves are dark green and softened, about 2 -3 minutes.

 
Add the cooled broccoli to the kale leaves.  Cut the grapes in half and add to the bowl.  Add the diced red onion, chopped cooked bacon, sunflower seeds and cranberries; mix to combine.

 
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.  Pour the dressing over the broccoli kale salad; gently toss to evenly coat.  Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

ChezCindy: "Boozy" Apple Cake

Boozy Apple Cake

Leave it to the French to create this beautiful boozy apple cake.  All the goodness of apples, butter, sugar and brandy combined for a delightful cake.  The recipe is fashioned after one in Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, 'around my french table'.  A wonderful, grand book full of recipes you'll want to bookmark and make often. 

The apple cake is super easy with minimal ingredients; slightly sweet with a bit of edge from the apple brandy.  The apples are not shy in this cake as the recipe uses 4 large apples cut into 1-inch pieces.  It is delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or at room temperature as a breakfast treat.

Dorie's recommendation for storage is to leave uncovered as the cake is very moist.  Simply place a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper to cover the cut edges.  If desired, you can substitute apple cider in place of the apple brandy.  

Apple Cake

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of kosher salt

4 large apples 

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons apple brandy

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the center of the oven.  Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan.  Line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper to catch any drips and place the prepared springform pan on it.  Set aside.  Melt the butter; allow to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt.  

Peel the apples.  Cut into quarters, removing the core and stem; cut into 1-inch pieces.  

Working with a stand mixer, place the eggs into the work bowl, whisk until foamy.  Add in the sugar, continue to whisk until blended.  Mix in the brandy and vanilla until combined.  Whisk in half of the flour mixture and half of the melted butter.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add in the remaining flour and butter.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom to assure the flour and butter are fully incorporated.  Add in the apples, stirring the batter until each apple is fully coated with the batter.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out to evenly fill in the spaces.  

Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow to rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake to loosen the cake from the pan. Open the springform; continue to cool to room temperature.