Banana Walnut Fudge

Growing up, Easter morning meant we were each greeted with a basket of jelly beans, chocolates, candies galore and a little toy or two. This breakfast of champions was followed by brunch or egg-hunting with friends, more sweets, and an afternoon sugar crash. 

I have nothing but fond and fun memories of my childhood Easters. But nowadays, if I tried to duplicate a day like that, I’d be on the floor by 10:30am in a sugar-induced coma. Nonetheless, the spirit of Easter persisted this year and a craving for something smooth and chocolaty had me whipping out the mixing bowls. 

 

Since I do my best to avoid sugar these days, this fudge is sweetened entirely with ripe bananas. The fruit puree is held together with walnuts and a bit of cocoa, and... that’s it. Three ingredients for a quick and delectable treat. Keeping with the tradition of years’ past, I ate most of it myself.

 

Banana Walnut Fudge :: Makes 24 squares

2 1/2 cups raw walnuts
3 ripe bananas
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

- Line an 8x8 glass baking dish with plastic wrap, and set aside.

- In a food processor, pulse 2 cups walnuts until a fine crumb is formed. Add the bananas and process until completely smooth. Add cocoa powder and process again until incorporated. Add remaining 1/2 cup walnuts and pulse a few times, just to chop. Leave them a bit chunky. 

- Spread mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours, until firm. Slice and serve immediately. Store in an airtight container, or wrapped tightly in plastic, in the freezer.

Kale chips

I really like to have wholesome snacks handy for times when hunger strikes; because, let’s face it, what do we do when we’re bored? Ok, maybe it’s just me... during breaks in schoolwork, lazy weekend mornings, or any other time, for that matter, I open the fridge and cupboards and search. Like clockwork. It helps to have something within reach that is both satisfying and healthy. 

While I haven’t yet made a large batch to store in the pantry, kale chips are so easy and quick to make that it almost isn’t necessary. I see them everywhere these days, from the farmer’s market to the gourmet grocery store, but more often than not they come with a hefty, hefty price tag. To me, it’s just not worth paying that kind of price for something I can make myself. 

The best part is that kale chips are about as versatile as steel-cut oatmeal: You can add absolutely anything to flavor them for fantastic results. What I’ve also done is with the leftover oil and seasoning on the baking sheet, cut up a few flour tortillas into triangles and place them on top in a single layer. Bake at 400’ until golden brown, then sprinkle with sea salt and toss. I do this when there are boys around, and the homemade tortilla chips are always received with enthusiasm. Serve with a batch of this superstar hummus. 

 

While the kale chips are too brittle to be vehicles for dip, there are many more ways to use them. Crumble atop salads, serve as a side dish, wrap in a tortilla with your favorite fillings, or just enjoy them plain. The possibilities are endless!

Kale Chips :: Serves 2

1-2 cups kale leaves (stems removed)
1 teaspoon olive oil 
spices, such as chili powder, cayenne, turmeric, black pepper, sea salt

- Preheat oven to 350’. 

- In a large bowl, use your hands to toss kale with olive oil. Do not over saturate– you want the leaves just lightly dressed.

- Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with desired spices. Bake for about 10 minutes, until crispy and golden. Allow to cool, top with a squeeze of fresh lemon and more sea salt, then serve.

Fajitas and Black Bean Soup

This recipe goes back to our first date, when we decided to cook a meal together instead of going out. Upon hearing of my tendency to avoid meat products after we’d made these plans, Elliott went frantically in search of a recipe we could both enjoy. He found one for vegetarian fajitas, we went grocery shopping, and the rest, they say, is history. 

In the mood for warm liquids last week after coming down with a bad cold, I threw together this quick and easy black bean soup using most of the same ingredients the fajitas call for. It’s a perfect weeknight recipe, and I found it super satisfying as a meal by itself. I had plenty left over for lunch the next day, but I’m sure it would also freeze well. To avoid cluttering our small kitchen further by getting out the blender, I left the soup chunky; feel free to puree in batches, though, if it better suits your taste.

 

As for other updates, it’s getting to be that time of the semester when I really look forward to the end of May. A busier schedule leaves me with less time to cook every night, so I’m sure that in the coming weeks we’ll be revisiting the simplicity of soups and stir-fries. With something so convenient and healthy, it’s hard to feel guilty about the occasional effortless meal.

Black Bean Soup :: Serves 4

1 yellow onion, diced
3 bell peppers, diced (red, orange and yellow varieties)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chile powder
pinch of cayenne
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper
juice from 1 lime
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cans organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chipotle salsa
fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)
1 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
vegetable broth
avocado, for garnish

• In a heavy saucepan, saute the onion, bell peppers and garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil until soft. Add the spices, salt and pepper, and lime juice and stir to combine. Saute 2 minutes more.
• Add the tomato paste and fully incorporate. Add the black beans, salsa, chopped cilantro, and crushed tomatoes and stir to mix thoroughly. Add enough vegetable broth to cover–I like my soups more stew-like, but if more broth is desired then by all means add more. 
• Season again with salt and pepper, stir, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat, just enough time to allow the flavors to combine. Taste for seasonings and ladle into portions, then garnish with chopped avocado and more cilantro. Serve hot.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

When it’s been raining for weeks, your mind is exhausted, you barely have time to think and you’ve just signed the lease on your first apartment, there’s really only one thing to do: bake cookies. 

How does one preface the chocolate chip cookie? There’s no real way that hasn’t been done before, so I’ll just jump right in and say that the occasion for these cookies is that I’m in need of some good, old-fashioned comfort food. The past few weeks have been pure insanity, and like I said before, I’m in the middle of a few rather monumental transitions. I need all the help I can get, and what better place to find it than in the kitchen?

 

Show me a childhood that isn’t accented by the sweet, chewy crumb of a perfect chocolate chip cookie and I’ll be baffled. Whether store-bought or lovingly homemade, they have soothed and comforted me in times of distress, come oatmeal-flecked and wrapped in shoeboxes to my Freshman dorm to remind me I have a mother who cares, replaced birthday cake when baked into squares, and somehow taste just as magical no matter how many culinary spins put on them (cranberries, white chocolate, walnuts...).

But because I’m slightly nostalgic for simpler times, the simplest version of cookie it was. The recipe for these cookies came about after I took a cruise around Elana’s Pantry in search of almond flour recipes. Mine is entirely different than hers, but she provided the inspiration I needed to dive into baking with almond flour. Full of protein, healthy fat, vitamins and minerals, blanched almond flour will not only please grain-haters, but will keep you satisfied with fewer cookies. 

At once strong and sweet and delicate, I doubt you’ll miss the all-purpose flour in these gooey treats. Once again, I find solace in the chocolate chip cookie... At least until Monday.

 

Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies :: Makes 24

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill brand) 
1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (measure after melting. Do not use microwave; double-boiler method does the trick) 
1/2 teaspoon almond extract 
3 Tablespoons raw honey 
1/3 cup water 
1 bar dark chocolate, chopped 
2 Tablespoons milled golden flaxseed 

1. Preheat oven to 350’. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine almond flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.
3. Stir together the melted oil, almond extract, honey and water until thoroughly combined.
4. Mix wet ingredients and chocolate chunks into the dry ingredients, folding a few times with a spatula. Batter will slightly runny.
5. Add milled flaxseed and incorporate. I did this to get the batter to thicken up a bit, so if 2 tablespoons isn’t enough for you, just keep adding a little at a time until batter has reached desired consistency.
6. Drop by the tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes or more, until cookies have spread slightly and are golden on top. Bake longer than you think you need to! Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then serve. Please store in an airtight container in the refrigerator (I actually liked them better after they firmed up in the fridge). 

Cupcakes and coconut palm sugar

There’s nothing like a trip to Napa to remind me what I love about food, life and friends. This charming valley is full to the brim with culinary excellence, winemaking passion, the friendliest people and the freshest ingredients. Lustful eating is what I do there, usually throwing dietary precautions to the wind and chowing down with the best of them. It was a wonderful two days, to say the least. 

Our trip was a welcome relief from the insanity that is my brain these days. In the midst of the usual tasks consuming my time, a I spent a great deal of energy last week on a few rather large decisions that will determine my life for the next few years. I’m one of those people who just can’t sit still: Tell me to be patient and I’ll have a panic attack; hold me back and I’ll develop anxiety; tell me to slow down and I’ll feel lost. I love speculation, I love planning, I love knowing what I want and when I want it to happen. But sometimes, it really is so much more useful to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride of life. I’ve been trying to do a lot of this lately, because I know myself and I know better. It’s hard, but I’m riding on the belief that everything will work out for the best. Not knowing can be very, very exciting.

So, feeling rested, rejuvenated, well-hydrated and anxious to leap and bound into the future, I decided that cupcakes were in order. Celebration-of-life cupcakes. I recently became owner of the BabycakesNYC cookbook (by Erin McKenna) and I’ve been so excited to try my hand at one of her vegan and gluten-free confections. In an attempt to avoid a $100 grocery bill, I purchased just the unusual essentials called for and otherwise used what I had on hand, paying close attention to Erin’s substitution guidelines. The best part? With an egg-free batter, licking the bowl is almost mandatory. Enjoyed with a good glass of bubbly wine, they’re perfect.

But because I have yet to modify the recipe to suit my own tastes, I regrettably cannot share the exact recipe here. For now, I will tell you about Coconut Palm Sugar, which I used in place of the agave and/or cane sugar that are staples in the BabycakesNYC cookbook.

 

:: Coconut Palm Sugar ::

While browsing the bulk bins at Whole Foods the other day, I came upon a peculiar looking substance with a deep caramel color and rough, coarse-crystal texture. Coconut Palm Sugar, the label read. Eager to try some, I grabbed a scoop and continued on my way. After returning home and doing some research, I discovered that this sweetener is of a unique breed*. 

Relative to most other sweeteners on the market, coconut palm sugar has a lower GI (glycemic index) value of 35. The glycemic index is a tool that measures how quickly the sugar content of foods is absorbed into our blood stream. Agave nectar is said to have a low GI value, but at 42 it’s still higher than my new coconut-derived friend. 

Also, coconut palm sugar is 70-79% sucrose. Having followed Sarah Wilson’s recent sugar-free adventure, I know that fructose is the type of sugar we should watch out for. Both agave nectar and raw honey are pure fructose, as is the sugar found in fruit; so logically-speaking, can I feel a bit better about sweetening my treats with sucrose? I like to think so...

Finally, I learned that coconut palm sugar is extremely rich in nutrients, trace minerals and vitamins of the B and C variety, making it nutritionally superior to all other sweeteners on the market. We have to be careful these days to make well-educated choices amidst all the media’s diet hype, with “natural corn sugar” claiming to be “great in moderation.” Please. Although sweetened treats aren’t a regular occurrence for me, I plan to explore coconut palm sugar’s potential as a replacement for maple syrup and honey, my usual dessert suspects. If you try it, let me know what you think!

What are your sweeteners of choice? What’s your view on sugar?

*Source: Big Tree Farms