Too Many Bananas!

I can't stand to waste food so what's a girl to do when 4 bananas are really ripe?  Make banana bread, with a twist.  I happened to have all the ingredients (finally a use for those flax seeds!).  I always keep some plain yogurt in the fridge for just this kind of occasion.  The result was quite delicious!

Peanut butter Banana Bread

Peanut butter Banana Bread

(from Cooking Light, Oct 2010)

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed (I buy whole flaxseeds and grind in a coffee grinder)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray (I greased and floured the pan). Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

Always on hand

Here is a healthy recipe I can make whenever I haven't been to the grocery store in a while.  It is derived from some basics I always keep in stock:  bacon,  onions, sweet potatoes, frozen edamame and cans of corn.

Sweet Potato and Edamame Hash

Sweet Potato and Edamame Hash

(adapted from Southern Living, April 2010)

2 slices of thick bacon
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (12-oz.) package uncooked frozen, shelled edamame (green soybeans)
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn (if using canned corn, add it near the end of cooking time)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher or table salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Add oil to a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until done.  Remove bacon from pan to drain on a paper towel.  Add onion to pan and cook 5 min.  Add sweet potatoes and sauté 5 minutes more.  Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.  Stir in edamame and remaining ingredients and cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Chop cooked bacon and stir into vegetables.

A match made in heaven

Blue cheese and fresh figs make a delicious appetizer.  When the figs are in season I usually keep them in the fridge with a wedge of blue cheese.  Just slice the fig in half long ways and place a chunk of cheese on top for a tasty treat.  With this combination in mind, I recently created this yummy chicken.

Chicken with blue cheese & figs,
cauliflower rice, & sautéed zucchini

Chicken with Blue Cheese & Fresh Figs

4 boneless chicken breasts
olive oil
salt
pepper
flour
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 oz. blue cheese
½ cup wine (red is preferred but white will work fine)
½ cup chicken broth
6-8 figs, each cut into 4-6 pieces
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tbs. honey

Mix rosemary and thyme and set aside.

Place chicken between two pieces of wax paper and pound out to ½” thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet.  If chicken is large, you can cut in half horizontally and then pound lightly to get uniform thickness.

Add enough olive oil to lightly cover bottom of frying pan and heat on medium high heat.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken then dredge in flour.

Using tongs, add chicken to hot oil in pan and cook 4 min on one side. Flip chicken to cook other side 3-4 minutes more.  (Add more olive oil if pan is dry.)  Sprinkle chicken with half of herb mixture and flip over to quickly sear.  Turn back over and add a slice of blue cheese to each chicken breast. Remove from pan and place in 200 degree oven or cover with large lid to keep warm while making pan sauce.

Add wine to pan and scrape up browned bits.  Add broth, figs, garlic and remaining herbs and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add honey and cook 1 minute or until sauce is thick.

Pour fig sauce over blue cheese covered chicken and serve.