The Whole Wheat

My pregnancy is approaching its end – and I have hope that even in the sleep deprived early weeks of motherhood I will want to cook *something*!  Until then however, my doctor has required me to just rest and do as little as possible – even cooking.  So when I just needed a baked goodie today, and 3 bananas were ready to be mashed up, I knew I needed a super quick and simple recipe to satisfy both myself and my doctor!

This recipe is a great jumping off point for banana bread – add chocolate chips or blueberries, mix up the spices, just make it your own.  And enjoy!  The hard part is waiting an hour for it to bake…

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 ripe bananas
• 1/4 c melted butter
• 1 c sugar (I used 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white)
• 1 1/2 c flour (this is a great place to sub in a 1/2 c. of spelt or other different flour)
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 t baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Prep a bread pan baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2. Place bananas in a medium mixing bowl and smash with a fork or potato masher.  The more smooshy and smooth the better.
3. Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and combine.
4. Transfer batter to the bread baking dish and into the oven.
5. Cook about 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool several minutes then remove from pan and allow to continue cooling.  Bread is delicious warm but try not to burn yourself!

Though a little late for holiday cookies, this is a fantastic nut brittle recipe that I had to share!  It isn’t health food but it is delicious and a fun splurge.  I had never made candy before but this year decided to splurge and gifted a bunch of brittle to friends and family.

The primary things to keep in mind to make this recipe are: you need a candy thermometer and the salt (use a specialty salt if you can!) added at the end really does add that extra punch to the brittle!  You can use any type of nut you would like, this year I made the brittle with cashews but almonds, peanuts, anything would be wonderful.  Be sure to spread the brittle as quickly as possible as you poor onto the parchment or other pan – it begins to harden more quickly than you expect.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 ounces roasted salted peanuts, cashews, pistachios and/or pecans
• Fleur de sel or crushed Maldon sea salt

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is light brown and registers 300° on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda. The mixture may bubble. Stir in the nuts, then immediately scrape the brittle onto a large rimmed, nonstick baking sheet (or other baking sheet lined with parchment paper).
3. Using the back of a large spoon (oil it lightly if it sticks), spread the brittle into a thin, even layer. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Break the brittle into large shards.

This tart is one of my go to standby recipes.  Both Brad and I love it everytime we make it.  Though I prefer to make my own crust, I confess that a premade crust can come in handy when you don’t have the time or energy (such as this pregnant lady) to make your own.  Brad also asked me to specifically note that maple bacon is a bad idea in this tart – a smoky or savory bacon is the way to go.

Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust
• 3-4 pcs bacon, cut into 1/2? pcs.
• 3 eggs
• 1c. milk (I use 2% typically)
• 1T Dijon mustard (optional)
• 3 small leeks chopped finely
• ~3/4c crumbled goat cheese

1. Pre-bake the pie crust approximately 10 minutes or until lightly colored.  Follow directions on package or recipe used.  Typically this is about 10 minutes at 375.  I like to use  pie weights to keep the crust in nice shape.
2. If necessary, change oven to 375. Cook bacon on stove top. While that is cooking, beat the eggs, milk, and Dijon together in a bowl.
3. Remove bacon to paper towels then cook leeks in some of the left over grease (or olive oil if you prefer).  Cook until softened and nicely colored. Remove from heat.
4. Spread veggies evenly in a pie plate, add bacon & goat cheese covering evenly. Pour on egg mixture. Bake 45min-1hr until egg mixture is firmly set.
5. Serve with a green salad or cooked green side for a perfect dinner.

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature (non-hydrogenated please!)
  
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• About 1/3 cup demerara sugar for tops of cookies (or other chunky sugar)

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl until combined.
2. Beat together shortening, butter, and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 minutes with a handheld. Add egg and molasses, beating until combined. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until combined.
3. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
4. Roll 1 heaping teaspoon of dough into a 1-inch ball with wet hands, then dip 1 end of ball in sanding sugar. Make more cookies in same manner, arranging them, sugared side up, 2 inches apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until undersides are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes total, then cool on sheets 1 minute. Transfer to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

Recipe originally from Epicurious with very few modifications.

Hello my loyal Whole Wheat readers! Thank you for sticking by me during this drought of posts. As you can see – I’ve been busy baking my own little bun in the oven. I’m in my 30th week of pregnancy and it has been a great experience thus far.

However, my cooking has fallen by the wayside as many times food preparation has made me feel nauseous or I’ve simply been too worn out to deal with making a meal. This has been a really interesting experience for me as Brad has really stepped up to the plate and made much of our food. It has been very nice!

Even though the 3rd trimester fatigue is starting to descend, I think I will be able to start posting from time to time again. So please hang in there with me and we’ll get back to fun, healthy food – The Whole Wheat style – in no time. Plus for all you moms and potential moms-to-be, I’ll definitely do some round up posts of things I’ve found helpful during pregnancy and share how I deal with a little addition to the family too.

Thanks again for sticking around! There will be more soon! Happy Holiday season everyone!

For lunch today I took a trip to San Francisco’s Civic Center to check out the Slow Food Nation Marketplace. This is a great event because its free and casual. There is a farmer’s market with wonderful vendors, a beautiful garden that volunteers helped plant in the center, and food stalls selling wonderful lunch & snack foods.

Honestly Slow Food Nation couldn’t be happening at a more beautiful time in San Francisco – its sunny & warm – very unusual for us but enjoyable and lovely! The setting for the Marketplace is the lawn in front of City Hall. Its a stunning backdrop and really just epitomizes San Francisco! (photo from iPhone on the go)

I found a few new favorite vendors while poking around the farmer’s market section. Believe me – this is just a few I stumbled on – so many are spectacular!

• Grindstone Bakery: ancient grains, all gently stone milled, then made into exquisite loafs of bread & cookies. If you live in the Bay Area please try a loaf, you will not be dissapointed!
• Beekind: honey straight from Sebastapol in Sonoma County. You wouldn’t believe the flavors and infusions! My favorite was the Chai Infused Honey – unique and delicious – would be amazing on ice cream.

I had a lovely chicken biryani from Vic’s Chaat Cafe for lunch. The yogurt sauce really just brought it all together.

And after my tour and enjoying the sunshine, I headed back to the office. If you get a chance, swing by the Marketplace this weekend. It runs 9-4p Friday thru Sunday.