Dessert
Karen's Banana Bread
12 servings
Ingredients:
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup honey
3 tbsp canola oil, plus a little more for oiling the loaf pan
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a loaf pan.
2. Mash the bananas and mix with the honey, canola oil and vanilla extract.
3. Stir together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda and salt. Add the nuts.
4. Blend the two mixtures and spoon into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until center is set.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
200 calories
8 g total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
32 g carbohydrate
3 g protein
3 g fiber
203 mg sodium
Dan's Sweet Potato Custard
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
1 cup cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 medium)
1 cup evaporated 1% milk
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together sweet potato and banana. Add milk, blending well. Add brown sugar, egg yolks, and salt, mixing thoroughly.
2. Transfer mixture to a non-stick one quart casserole pan (or light oily pan).
3. Combine raisins, sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over top of sweet potato mixture.
4. Bake in a preheated 300 F oven for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
NUTRITION INFO
Calories: 143
Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Protein: 5 g
Denise's Blueberry Pie
8 servings
This yummy pie is loaded with these blueberries. The cooked and cooled filling is poured into a 9-inch baked pie crust.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2 tbsp cold water
1 baked Easy Pie Crust (store bought is fine)
Instructions:
1. Heat the blueberries in a saucepan over medium heat until they begin to boil. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
2. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon, and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Mix the cornstarch or arrowroot well with the water, and pour mixture into the simmering blueberries while stirring. Cook, stirring, until mixture becomes clear and thick. Continue to cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool.
4. Spoon mixture into pie crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Danielle's Healthy Carrot Cake
9 Servings
Carrot cake is my favorite, but with all the vegetable oil and cream cheese frosting, I couldn't enjoy it as often as I'd like. This version is healthier, using just a little olive oil, honey for flavor, and whole wheat pastry flour combined with unbleached flour. Walnuts contribute omega-3 fats as well as crunch.
Ingredients:
2 c. firmly packed finely grated carrots (3 large)
Juice of 1 large orange
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c. light olive oil
1 c. honey, liquefied in microwave (30 seconds)
1/2 c. crushed pineapple, drained
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
3/4 c. walnuts, chopped
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the carrots, orange juice, vanilla, olive oil, honey, and pineapple until well blended.
3. In another bowl, stir together the flours, baking soda, and spices. Mix in the walnuts.
4. Blend the dry ingredients into the carrot mixture, stirring until just mixed.
5. Pour the batter into a nonstick 8-inch-square baking pan and bake for 45-60 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and remove from pan.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
334 calories
9 g total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
62 g carbohydrate
5 g protein
4 g fiber
25 mg sodium
Lynn's Almond (open) Sesame Cookies
4 Dozen
Who doesn't love cookies? The store bought versions, though, are filled with partially hydrogenated oils and other less than wholesome ingredients. These delicious cookies are made with olive oil and a host of other ingredients like tofu and chopped almonds. They take (most of) the "guilt" out of guilty pleasures.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
3/4 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
4 ounces silken tofu
1/2 cup light olive oil
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon almond extract
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, and salt. Mix in the sesame seeds and chopped almonds.
3. In another bowl, mash the tofu and combine with the olive oil, sugar, and almond extract. Mix well.
4. Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Roll the mixture into one-inch balls, flatten between your palms, and place them on ungreased baking sheets. Bake the cookies about 10 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the cookie sheet and cool on a rack.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
86 calories
6 g total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
7 g carbohydrate
1 g protein
1 g fiber
Sara's Pumpkin Pie Bread
INGREDIENTS
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup water
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture alternately with water. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For best flavor, store wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for a full day before serving.
Karen's Cranberry/Apple/Raisin Crisp
This dessert is best served warm with vanilla ice cream. If you plan on skipping the ice cream, reduce the amount of ground cloves to one-eighth teaspoon, or the flavor may be overwhelming. Be sure your baking dish is at least two inches deep so the sweet juices don't bubble over the edge and burn onto your oven floor. If the crisp comes to the top of the dish, put a baking sheet under it.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
5 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 12- ounces package cranberries (about 3 cups)
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup orange juice (from about 1 orange)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1. Heat the oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, the 1/2 cup flour, and the brown sugar. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture until small crumbs form.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cranberries, apples, raisins, granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons flour, orange zest and juice, and the cloves. Transfer the fruit to an 8-inch square glass baking dish or a 2-quart soufflé dish.
3. Top the fruit with the crumb mixture. Bake until the fruit is tender and the crumb topping has browned, about 45 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: 4
Laura's Lemonade Cake
INGREDIENTS:
Cake:
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
Cooking spray
Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cake, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.
Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare frosting, place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients (2 tablespoons butter through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Chill 1 hour.
Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
Suzanne's Hummingbird Cake:
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped bananas
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.
Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.
Yield: 16 servings
