Thursday, March 01, 2007

Decadent Banana Bread Recipe, Curry, and Some High-Priced Disappointments

Let's start with the bad news first, shall we? While recently at the grocery store, I came across these beautiful heirloom tomatoes. Pretty no? When I cut up the smaller one for a salad I found it to be very mealy and a bit too tart to really enjoy. As they were quite expensive (i'd never bought heirloom tomotoes before and was too curious to not), I tossed 'em in the salad anyway. but i didn't like it!

After lunchtime's disappointment I was glad I'd thought to defrost some curry that I'd made a while back. It's my simple go-to curry from Veg. Times (you can find the recipe here. i just subbed sweet potatoes this round for some tiny yukon golds as that's what i had and used green lentils instead of brown...well...because they're my favorite!).Whenever I thaw out a batch I can never leave it as it and threw in another can of chopped, no salt added tomatoes, half a can of chickpeas (I want to roast the other half for a snack, yum!), and about half of the largest bunch of organic kale I've purchased to date. The kale I just cleaned, chopped, and boiled for about fifteen minutes, then drained and stirred it into the curry before serving. I was hoping to try my hand at chipatis, but never got around to it. warming a whole wheat wrap in the oven and tearing it to scoop up the warming goodness of the curry was a decent substitute.

That warm oven? Was from baking some of the BEST banana bread I've ever had, in my opionion, and I owe it all to the folks over at Post Punk Kitchen. I took Isa's original recipe, heeded the advice of just about every person who reviewed it (cutting back on fat, adding choc. chips, topping it with nuts), and even gave it a lil dash of som'n som'n on my own. Here's the final product. Totally decadent and not nearly as bad for you as it tastes!
Decadent Banana Bread

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar (Florida Crystals is my fave)
1 T margarine
1/4 c. applesauce, unsweetened
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/4 c. unbleached white flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. lite plain soy milk + 1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 T. unsweetened coconut
1/4 c. toasted walnut pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan (preferably pyrex).
Sift flour, baking soda, spices. Cream margarine, sugars, and applesauce. Add mashed banana, milk mixture, vanilla to wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and coconut. Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle top with walnuts.
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and ten minutes, or until wooden skewer or knife comes out clean.

Enjoy!

15 comments:

MeloMeals said...

What a bummer about the tomatoes.. especially considering the cost.

The rest of the food looks great though! thanks for posting the liquid gold salad dressing.. I will definitely make it.. although, I'll probably add some fresh garlic because I am addicted to garlic..

Do you find that the potatoes freeze well? I've been really disappointed in the past when I've frozen things with potatoes. The curry looks great though, and the potatoes don't look all mealy like they get when I've frozen them.

scottishvegan said...

Sorry the tomatoes were not good. I’ve only bought heirloom tomatoes once too because they are super expensive. In my case it was definitely worth it as they were so tasty, so maybe it’s worth giving them another in the future when you are less annoyed about wasting your money on these ones!

The banana bread looks and sounds so good. I like the addition of chocolate chips and coconut...yummy!

tommymakestapes said...

Hmm, not sure if you can find heirloom tomatoes local/in season - but if you can - of course try them then! I too, have been dissapointed by the grocery store variety of them (and most tomatoes). I went to a tomato tasting once and I was stunned at how different and decadent tomatoes can taste.

Excellent looking + sounding banana bread though!

Anonymous said...

crap, that was me, jess! (from get sconed)

Amey said...

cool! that banana bread looks yumms. Thanks for sharing your recipes.

Sorry about the tomatoes. I guess it's not the season. I often buy heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market, but only in the summer when they are growing anyway.

Sheree' said...

So sad about your tomatoes. They really are delicious, but out of season for us now. Your curry yum! I love curry and anything in it.

I will definatly be trying the banana bread. I make one from TEV with maple syrup which is delicious, but the addition of nuts and coconut sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Marathon Someday said...

The bread looks delish! I think I'll make some this afternoon.

Two questions:

(1) What's in your "all spice"?
(2) Why is pyrex preferred for the pan?

Thanks posting the liquid gold dressing recipe as well - I've been looking for a good dressing!

Brooke said...

Mmmmmmm.....nanner bread. Looks great!

Candi said...

Aww, too bad about the tomatoes! They do look beautiful though. :)

The curry looks great with the added kale! Thanks for the recipe!

Oh, the banana bread! Britty will be so in love with this! I'm going to have to make it for her.

I love Florida Crystals too!!

Also, I had to tell you that I tried your "honey" mustard dipping sauce you posted awhile ago. (vegan mayo, agave...) Oh how good. We had it tonight and loved it!! Britty asked how I knew how to make it. Lol! I told her... DGMGV!! :P

Anonymous said...

pretty tomatoes too bad they dont tast well. thanks a lot for the recipe!

Anonymous said...

the banana bread as well as the curry was amaZing...

thanks again

Good-Dees said...

everything looks so yummy- now I'm going to have to make curry tomorrow night.

Last year I grew heirloom tomatoes that looked just like the ones in your photo - they were absolutely great- sorry yours weren't! Don't give up.

bazu said...

I'm sorry about the tomatoes. They look so beautiful ,and I know that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realize you've spent so much money on something that turned out to be bad!

As usual, all your food looks great. I think we both like (love? obsess about?) salads the same amount. I wanted to thank you for the salad dressing from your previous post, and let you know I'll be making it soon!

laura k said...

Wow, I'm gonna try that curry--looks so easy!

Everything sounds great--except for the sad tomatoes, that is...

Shauna said...

You should submit this recipe to the Moist Banana Bread Contest:

http://thenewstayathomemom.com/moist-banana-bread-recipe-contest

Winner gets a $50 gift card to Sur La Table!!

blessings,

Shauna