Saturday, April 17, 2004

The Intuitive Cook's Recipe of the Week--Healthy (er) Banana Bread Healthy (er) Banana Bread (Adapted from Mollie Katzen) Canola oil spray 1 cup soy protein power (don't wince) 1/2 cup blanched almond meal* 1/2 cup all purpose flour 2 teaspons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup chocolate chips 2 mashed overripe bananas 1/2 cup applesauce 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 tablespoons melted butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a standard size loaf pan with canola oil spray. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl, and stir to combine thoroughly. Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and stir to combine thoroughly. Add wet ingredients to dry, and stir to combine thoroughly. Pour the batter (it will be quite stiff) into the loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for at least ten minutes, then allow to finish cooling on a rack. *You can get blanched almond meal at a fancy cooking store (like Surfas in LA or online) or even at Trader Joe's. If you're motivated, you can make your own by grinding up blanched almonds in a food processor. It helps cut the carb content of the bread, as does the soy powder. And I've found that the almond meal neutralizes the strong taste of the soy, and improves the texture of the bread. Enjoy! comment []3:23:18 PM   trackback []

The baby with the Jerry Lewis laugh I am on the brink of weeping listening to Scott Simon's audio essay from this morning's Weekend Edition about his adoption of his daughter from China. This is a subject I'm thinking about a lot lately, as I struggle to get pregnant again to make another beautiful baby for Husband and me, and a sibling for Dido. We have vowed, casually, if that's possible, that we will not go too far down the slippery slope of infertility treatment, but when do you know what is too far? Like in childbirth, when is intervention appropriate, when is it too much? I had much happy intervention in Dido's birth (hospital, epidural, he was pulled out rather than pushed when his heart rate started to drop due to the cord being around his neck) and it was all to the good. His birth was a good experience for us all (thanks to incredible medical staff.) But for number two, finding a baby another way doesn't seem wrong. We'll see. comment []9:48:32 AM   trackback []