Spring Peas

A few years ago, while visiting Monticello with my husband, I picked up Thomas Jefferson’s “Garden Book.” It is an interesting journal of his gardening during his years at Monticello

His entry for February 20, 1767 says, “Sowed a bed of peas.“ On March 9 he journaled that both of the beds of peas were up. He didn’t mention the date of the second bed. He then sowed “another bed of forwardest peas and a bed of the latest of all.” He noted that April 1 his peas were just appearing. On the 24th his forwardest peas of February 20 came to the table. Again on May 24 his peas of March 17 came to the table and his latest peas of February 20 ”will come to table within about 4 days.”

I love all things historical and my husband and I have passed this love on to our children and now grandchildren. I always think of Thomas Jefferson when the first fresh green peas show up on the produce aisle of my grocery store.

In the spring, when our tastes seem to automatically change to a lighter, fresher taste; I think of the fresh new green vegetables. We love them all. This dish is one that we enjoy. I only serve it once or twice a year, most often at Easter or within the month.

For years I have used a recipe from Marlene Sorosky. This year, Better Homes & Gardens had a similar version of peas they called Braised Peas with Scallions and Lettuce. Recognizing the similarity but difference, I had to try it. Now I think I have my own version of the two, simplifying it to our own tastes.

Spring Peas

Olive oil and a pat of butter
4 green onions trimmed, sliced
1 pkg of butter lettuce, sliced (Marlene used a head of iceberg and Better Homes a head of romaine)
1 16-oz pkg. frozen peas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 rounded teaspoon of all purpose flour
1 cup or more or less of reduced sodium chicken or vegetable stock
A few springs of fresh mint
1 or 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1. Melt the olive oil and a pat of butter in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced green onions and cook for a a couple minutes. Slice the lettuce if using a head, but don’t shred. I washed my bagged butter lettuce at this point and drained.

Put a layer of lettuce in with the onions and then sprinkle the peas on top of the lettuce. Add the remaining lettuce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for a minute or two and then sprinkle the flour and stir until everything is coated. Slowly pour in the stock, then cover and turn up the heat. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes until the peas are tender.

2. Taste and add another pinch of salt or pepper if needed. Put in the finely chopped mint leaves. (Mint is optional). If there is too much juice, it can be poured off. Add the lemon juice, (which is also optional) and serve. May add a little olive oil if desired.

I have not tried blending this and using it as a soup with more or less stock, but Better Homes & Gardens mentioned that you could and it sounds like something that I would like and a way to use any leftovers.

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

A Royal Tea Cosy

There is nothing more British than ... tea. And perhaps, china ... and perhaps, gardens. But I digress. We were talking about tea.

As the eyes of the world turn to Britain this year for a Royal Wedding and the Olympics in 2012, my mind starts reveling in the things I love most; did I mention tea ... and china ... and gardens?

When you can combine all three -- it is divine.

Below is a pattern for a knitted tea cosy by knit designer Loani Prior. She has authored two books on the subject; Wild Tea Cosies and Really Wild Tea Cosies.

I'm knitting mine as we speak -- or write. Smile.

Knit Pattern: Rosie Posie

Finished Piece: Knitted body, Crocheted Roses
Fits: Six-cup teapot

Materials
Three 50 g balls of 8 ply yarn, dusty olive green
One 50 g ball of 8 ply yarn, rose red
Small amount of 8 ply yarn, dusty pink

Equipment
Five 5 mm double-pointed needles
4 mm crochet hook
Scissors
Darning needle

The cosy and lining is worked in one piece, then folded in on itself to create the lining.

Base
Using the 5 mm double-pointed needles and 8 ply yarn in dusty olive green, cast on 80 stitches — 20, 20, 20, 20 on each needle. Join in a round as follows, making sure the stitches are not twisted around the needles.

Rounds 1–4: *K2, P2*, repeat * to * to end.

Sides
Row 5: Turn the work so that the wrong side is facing you. Work 40 stitches, continuing the rib pattern (P2, K2), across two needles.
Row 6: Turn the work so that the right side is facing you. Continue the rib pattern (K2, P2).
Rows 7–24 : Repeat rows five and six for 18 more rows. Break off the yarn, leaving a long tail for darning later.
Repeat rows 5–25 with the remaining stitches on the other two needles. Do not break off the yarn.

Top and top lining
Row 25: Join the sides together again by knitting in the round once again. Continue working the rib pattern (K2, P2) for 30 more rounds.

Sides (lining)
Repeat rows 5–24 as above.

Base (lining)
Repeat rounds 1–4. Cast off.

Roses - Knitted Version
Make eight red roses and one pink rose.

Knit Version:
Cast on 25 stitches. Rib for 5 rows. Next Row: Increase into every stitch (50 stitches. P1K1, P1K1, purl to last four stitches, K1P1, K1P1. Next row: K1P1, K1P1, knit to last four stitches, P1K1, P1K1. Repeat these 2 rows 10 times. Cast off. Twirl so that wrong side of stocking stitch shows.

Crocheted Version
Using a 4 mm crochet hook and 8 ply yarn make 39 chain. The pattern works in multiples of four stitches.

Row 1: Skip the first 2 ch (counts as first dc) and make 1htr into the third chain from the hook, 1 htr into next 2 ch. 1 dc into next dc. *1 htr into next 3 ch, 1 dc into next ch*, repeat * to * to end.
Row 2: 2 ch (counts as first dc), *2 tr into next 3 htr, 1 dc into next dc*, repeat * to * to end.
Row 3: 2 ch (counts as first dc), *1 dc into next 6 tr, 1 dc into dc of first row*, repeat * to * to end.

Tie off and cut the yarn, leaving a long thread at the beginning and end of the pattern. Twist the work round and round so that the petals fold outwards from the centre. Sew together the base of the rose to secure the shape.

Rose bed
Make two circles.
Using a 4 mm crochet hook and 8 ply yarn, make eight chain. Join the chain into a ring by working a slip stitch into the first chain.

Round 1: 2 ch (counts as first dc), work 11 dc into the ring gathering up the tail of the yarn as you go (12 stitches).
Round 2 and each alternate round: 1 dc into each dc to end.
Round 3: 2 dc into each dc to end.
Round 5: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next dc*, repeat * to * to end.
Round 7: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 2 dc*, repeat * to * to end.
Round 9: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 3 dc*, repeat * to * to end.Round 11: *2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 4 dc*, repeat * to * to end.

Finishing
Fold the tea cosy sock in on itself, aligning the openings for the spout and handle. Sew the lining and the outer sock together at the edges of the spout opening and handle opening.

Place the tea cosy over the teapot with the folded edge at the top. Pin a rose bed approximately 3 cm (or best fit) from the top of the fold. Sew the bed into position, securing it to both the inner and outer sock walls.

Arrange the roses on the bed with the pink rose in the center and sew each item securely into place. Turn the tea cosy inside out and darn the ends of the threads into the bottom of the tray.

For a really professional look, sew the second rose bed into the inside top of the cosy to cover the darned threads.

Loani Prior Blog

Super Easy Pacific Rim Ginger Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Watch a video of this recipe by clicking here.

Total cooking time: 12 minutes
Serves: 2-4

1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb. Ground Chicken
8 oz. Water Chestnuts (chopped)
2/3 cup Saucy Mama® Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing
1 head Iceberg Lettuce
1 cup Cocktail Peanuts

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet. Add the chicken and brown. Add the water chestnuts and Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing. Stir, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, core the head of lettuce, carefully peel off the leaves, rinse and pat dry.

Serve by having your guests fill the leaves with the meat mixture. Top with peanuts, and then fold the lettuce up like a taco.

~~~~

If your store isn't carrying Saucy Mama's sauces yet, you can order them online. Click here to find the Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing mentioned in this recipe.

CONTEST

Saucy Mama® has given me three bottles of their sauces to give away in a contest. There are three ways to enter (increase your odds - you can enter three times!). The easiest way is to leave a comment here on this recipe article. The second way is to watch the YouTube video of this recipe and comment there. The third way is to "Like" Good Living Magazine on Facebook, and then click "Like" on the post for this recipe. The winner will be selected on May 20, 2011 from those who enter.

The prize is one bottle each:

• Saucy Mama® Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing
• Saucy Mama® Tarragon Lemon Mustard
• Saucy Mama® Sweet Heat Marinade

Martha Stewart's Neapolitan String Beans

In going through my recipes this spring, sorting and tossing, I came across one of my all-time favorite and most used recipes for green beans and just had to share. With garden planting just ahead and the opening of most Farmer's Markets, this is one to print and save!

Neapolitan String Beans

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
2 medium plum tomatoes cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 pounds string beans trimmed and washed, but not dried
1 large sprig fresh basil

Directions

Combine olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes in a medium saucepan. Add tomatoes and green beans. Place over medium-low heat, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add basil, and cook, covered, for 5 minutes more. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Martha Stewart Living Television, September 2001

Easter Bunny: Knit Pattern

From Lion Brand Yarn, this is one of the cutest crafts I've seen for Easter this year. Created from cashmere yarn, it is sumptuously soft, delightful to knit and cuddle. My needles are clicking as I am knitting at least one of these this year for my new baby niece. And if you are a beginning knitter, truly an easy pattern to follow.





Easter Bunny Knit Pattern

Lion Brand® Superwash Merino Cashmere

GAUGE: Exact gauge is not essential to this project.

STITCH EXPLANATION:

Kfb (knit into front and then back)
An increase worked as follows:
1. Knit the next st through the front loop, but do not remove the st from your left hand needle.
2. Knit the same st once more, this time inserting your needle through the back loop of the st. You will have created 2 loops (sts) on your right hand needle, and increased 1 st.

NOTES:

1. Bunny is worked with small needles to create a dense fabric, suitable for a stuffed toy. All pieces are worked flat.


BODY
Beg at base of Body, with A, cast on 6 sts.
Row 1 and all WS Rows: Purl.
Row 2 (Inc Row): Kfb in each st across - 12 sts at the end of this row.
Row 3: Rep Row 1.
Row 4 (Inc Row): Rep Row 2 - 24 sts.
Row 5: Rep Row 1.
Row 6 (Inc Row): *K1, kfb; rep from * across - 36 sts.
Row 7: Rep Row 1.
Row 8 (Inc Row): *K2, kfb; rep from * across - 48 sts.
Rows 9-35: Beg with a p row, work in St st (k on RS, p on WS).
Row 36 (Dec Row): *K2, k2tog; rep from * across - 36 sts.
This decrease row is the Bunny's neck.
Row 37: Rep Row 1.

Shape Head
Row 38 (Dec Row): * K1, k2tog; rep from * across - 24 sts.
Row 39: Rep Row 1.
Row 40 (Inc Row): Rep Row 6 - 36 sts.
Rows 41-43: Rep Rows 9-11.
Row 44 (Dec Row): K12, (k2tog) 6 times, k12 - 30 sts. This decrease row shapes the Bunny's face.
Rows 45-49: Rep Rows 9-13.
Row 50 (Dec Row): Rep Row 38 - 20 sts.
Row 51: Rep Row 1.
Row 52 (Dec Row): (K2tog) - 10 sts.
Row 53: Rep Row 1.
Row 54 (Dec Row): Rep Row 52 - 5 sts.
Do not bind off.
Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through rem sts, pull tog tightly and knot securely.

EARS (make 2)
With A, cast on 8 sts.
Row 1 and all WS Rows: Purl.
Row 2 (Inc Row): (Kfb, k2, kfb) twice - 12 sts.
Row 4 (Inc Row): (Kfb, k4, kfb) - 16 sts.
Rows 5-15: Continue in St st (k on RS, p on WS).
Row 16 (Dec Row): (K2tog, k4, k2tog) twice - 12 sts.
Row 18 (Dec Row): (K2tog, k2, k2tog) twice - 8 sts.
Row 20 (Dec Row): (K2tog) across - 4 sts.
Do not bind off.
Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through rem sts, pull tog tightly and knot securely. With rem yarn tail, seam each Ear, adding stuffing as you sew.

LEGS (make 2)
Beg at top edge, with A, cast on 16 sts.
Row 1-19 (WS): Beg with a p row, work in St st.
Row 20 (Inc Row): K6, (kfb) 4 times, k6 - 20 sts.
Rows 21-23: Work in St st.
Row 24 (Dec Row): (K2tog) across - 10 sts.
Row 25: Purl.
Row 26 (Dec Row): Rep Row 24 - 5 sts.
Do not bind off.
Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through rem sts, pull tog tightly and knot securely.

ARMS (make 2)
Beg at top edge, with A, cast on 12 sts.
Rows 1-15: Beg with a p row, work in St st.
Row 16 (Inc Row): K5, (kfb) twice, k5 - 14 sts.
Row 17: Purl.
Row 18 (Dec Row): K5, (k2tog) twice, k5 -12 sts.
Row 19: Purl.
Row 20 (Dec Row): (K2tog) across - 6 sts.
Do not bind off. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through rem sts, pull tog tightly and knot securely.

FINISHING
Following package directions, attach safety eyes to head above face shaping. Seam Head/Body to make a tube, stuffing lightly before sewing closed. With B, embroider straight st eyes and nose. Sew Ears to Head. Seam Legs, stuffing lightly before sewing closed. Sew Legs to Body.
Tail

Following package directions, make a pom-pom with B. Tie to back of Body.
Weave in ends.



ABBREVIATIONS / REFERENCES
Click for explanation and illustration
beg = begin(s)(ning) dec = decreas(e)(s)(ing)
inc = increas(e)(s)(ing) k = knit
k2tog = knit 2 together p = purl
rem = remain(s)(ing) rep = repeat(s)(ing)
St st = Stockinette stitch st(s) = stitch(es)
tog = together WS = wrong side


Learn to Knit instructions: http://learnToKnit.LionBrand.com

To download pattern from Lion Brand, click here.

Vegetable Soup with Matzoh Balls

This is my favorite recipe for Matzoh Ball Soup, the one I return to time and time again. It is a savory soup that is lighter than most with the perfect blend of flavors.

We traditionally serve this soup during the Passover Seder, but I've been known to bring it out time and again for comfort, relief from colds, and requests. It is truly yummy!


Vegetable Soup with Matzoh Balls

3 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 leeks, cleaned and chopped, white part only
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 small turnip, peeled and chopped
1 small rutabaga, peeled and chopped
1 small green cabbage, shredded
11 cups chicken broth (homemade is best but store bought works well too)
3 peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Directions

Melt butter in large soup pot. Add vegetables and saute, stirring for about 15 minutes or until soft. Add broth, peppercorns, thyme and basil.

Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain, reserving vegetables. Add as many vegetables to broth as desired.

May be refrigerated up to 5 days. May be frozen.

Before serving, season to taste. Add chopped tomatoes and matzoh balls.

Serves 8 to 10


Matzoh Balls

4 large eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup matzoh meal
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup finely ground almonds
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and oil together. Add the broth, almonds, salt, parsley and ginger. Stir well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

With wet hands, form into 1 1/2 inch balls.

In a dutch oven, bring 4 quarts of salted water to boil. Reduce to a simmer and drop into liquid. Cover the pot and cook at a low simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid while cooking or the matzoh balls will boil instead of steam and will become touch.

Drain and add to soup.

May be refrigerated in soup to cover or frozen in soup to cover.

Makes about 28 matzoh balls.


Recipe adapted from Manischewitz and Marlene Sorosky.

Haroset

Haroset is a traditional offering at the Passover Seder. It's slightly sweet and slightly tart, representing the mortar the Hebrews used to make bricks in their forced labor to the Egyptians.

Haroset

1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped dates
4 tablespoons apple juice
2 green apples, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

In a small bowl, soak raising and dates in the juice for several hours or overnight. In food processor combine all ingredients together. The consistency may be as course or fine as you like. Makes about 3 cups. Refrigerate until use.

Recipe adapted from Marlene Sorosky's Year-Round Holiday Cookbook.

Taking Better Vacation Photos

Most of the pictures that people take are either on vacation or at family events. The two types of situations call for two different types of pictures. This is my third article in this photography series.

I love to travel. I had a job in the 1990’s that kept me on the road nearly all of the time. My wife and I lived in Portland but I worked in Chicago and Boston. The travel for work meant millions of frequent flyer points, which of course meant lots of leisure travel, which meant lots and lots of vacation pictures.

The key to great vacation photos is to be original.

Recently I was on the Oregon Coast. We stopped at a spectacular overlook north of Florence. My wife and I sat in the car for a few minutes enjoying the view, and watching car after car pull up. The occupants piled out of the car, stood in the same spot as everyone else, and took the same shot of the same view. Those people would leave and another car would pull up and do the same thing. It’s comical if you think about it. We were there for just a few minutes but think about it… this has been going on in that spot for decades. There are millions of pictures of that view. With a tiny bit of creativity, any one of them could get a shot that was uniquely their own.

5 (maybe 6) Things…

When I get to a viewpoint, I go through a checklist in my head of the five things I can do to get a creative shot. The five things are lower, higher, left, right and foreground. There’s actually a sixth one too, but I’m not sure that I know you well enough yet.

Can I get lower? Sometimes, getting all the way to the ground – even putting the camera on the ground – will give you a unique vantage point. Lower tends to make the subject look more impressive. Waterfalls look bigger, buildings grander, mountains taller.

Can I get higher? This might just mean holding the camera over your head. You won’t be able to look through the viewfinder (so you’re going to get some crooked shots), but just shoot. The other way to get higher is to climb. Of course this is site specific but lots of places have picnic tables you could stand on, hills to climb, or you can just stand on your car’s door-jam. It’s about getting a different vantage point, so try some things.

Left or right. In many situations, the authorities have put up a barrier that attempts to keep people from doing what I’m about to suggest. Live life on the edge and go around the barrier! Of course be careful of where you walk, and if the barrier is keeping you from falling into the ocean, feel free to disregard this idea. You will get some funny looks. Be prepared that other tourists will look at you like you just committed a crime that will get you time in the Graybar Motel. In most cases though, trust me, it’s no big deal. You are merely stepping out of the societal norm for a second. It’s OK. You’re trying to get a great picture!

Foreground – this is probably my best tip of all. Great pictures have something in the foreground. Look around for something – anything – that you can get into your foreground. A flower, a leaf, a hand rail, an old building, a rock. Look for anything that will add interest to your picture. In fact, you might be shooting something as grand as the Grand Canyon, but just getting a weed in the foreground can effectively double the interest of the photo. It’s amazing what it can do.

I said I had six things in my checklist. I’m hesitant to tell you because it’s evidence of my craziness… but here goes.

The sixth thing is “danger”. Now I don’t necessarily mean putting your life in peril, in fact, I’m kind of a wimp in that regard. I’ll tell you that I have some photographer friends who only post pictures on Flickr if they can relate a story of some death defying feat that was required to achieve it. We all accept it as a badge of honor to cross a river and then scale a rock cliff covered with poison oak. Those shots are awesome but what I’m talking about more often than not is that I’m going to get wet… and my camera could be destroyed (I have a story for another day about just that). That’s what I mean by danger.

Without question, the best waterfall pictures are taken from the river. Wanna shoot the ocean? The best pictures are taken in the surf. Say a little prayer and jump in.

Along with danger, I would add the word “work”, because oftentimes, the best shots are going to require a little effort. The best pictures are always taken down a steep embankment. It’s just a fact. The best wildflowers at Mount Hood in Oregon are in Elk Meadow. It’s a 6 mile hike in, and a 1,500 foot elevation gain. The view of the Grand Canyon is great from the rim, but better from the bottom.

What I recommend is that on your next sightseeing adventure, plan on taking at least one walk. Bring some boots and a dry change of clothes. Take the pictures at the overlooks, but at least once a day, plan on going a little further. What you’ll find is that not just your pictures will be more interesting, but you will be more engaged by the adventure.

Celebrating Pesach ... Passover

While we are not Jewish, we have celebrated Pesach or Passover in our home for years now. It is an anticipated and meaningful celebration by the adults and children in our family.

Called "pesach" (pay-sak) in Hebrew, Passover is a celebration of freedom. A Hebrew commemoration of exodus from slave labor in Egypt more than 3000 years ago. It is celebrated for seven days in Israel and for eight days in the Diaspora (outside of Israel).

It is also a story; a narrative, a reminder of the power and majesty of God throughout the ages. A time to teach our children and pass on a biblical heritage.

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." (Ex. 20:1,2).

"Now this day [the day God passed over the first born in the land of Egypt during the plagues] will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance." (Ex. 12).

The Seder is celebrated on the first night of Passover and is a symbolic food journey from Egypt to Canaan, retold and enacted by friends and family. Complete with menu, lines, and activities. It is truly entertaining for children and meaningful to adults as you walk through this joyous time of liberation.

For those of you who've never celebrated Passover or Pesach, we encourage you to try it this year. It is a celebration that will soon become tradition in your home as it has in ours.

To get you started, we've compiled a list helpful resources.

The following is the Seder Menu we traditionally use in our home. After a rigorous spring cleaning of the home, I set our table with our finest linens and china and fill the house with joyful Jewish music.

Table Setting
Taper Candles or Candelabra
Pitcher of ice water for drinking
Basin of water and washcloth for hands
Sparkling Cider or Grape Juice in Carafe
Large plate with sheets of matzoh
Wrapped matzoh in white linen napkin
Small bowl of Salt Water
Printed or copied Haggadah, the written readings to be given during the meal. (See resources below)
Seder Plate

Seder Plate
The Seder Plate is the canvas from which you narrate the Passover story. If you don't own a dedicated Seder Plate, a large plate or platter serves just as well with 5 shallow bowls or ramakins to hold the following 5 items.

1. Vegetable (Karpas): Represents the tears of slavery. Usually lettuce, cucumber, radish or parsley -- one for each participant. This will be dipped into the salt water.

2. Shank Bone (Zeroa): Reminder of the 10th plague in Egypt and how God passed over homes protected by blood. This bone is traditionally from a lamb but a chicken leg bone can also be used.

3. Hard Boiled Egg (Baytzah): This represents a voluntary peace offering, symbolic of the loss of two temples, one destroyed by Babylonians and the second by the Romans.

4. Haroset -- It represents the mortar the Israelites used to make bricks in forced labor with Egypt. (See recipe).

5. Bitter Herbs (Maror): Because the Israelites were slaves in Egypt we eat bitter herbs to remind us of the harshness of servitude. Horseradish is most commonly used -- fresh sliced or pureed (about a teaspoon per participant).

Passover Seder Menu

Haroset
Matzoh Ball Soup
Roasted Lamb
Baby Green Herbed Salad
Asparagus

Passover Pecan Bars
Passover Apple Cake

List of Helpful Resources

Passover Preparation Guide by shaddai.com
A Messianic Passover Haggadeh (the program used in the Seder meal).
A Christian Passover Haggadeh (the program used in the Seder meal).

Celebrate the Feasts by Martha Zimmerman

Banana Date Bread

My family loves this variation on the traditional comfort food of banana bread. This version is truly moist, lower fat, and packed with nutrients.

Bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin C and fiber. The addition of dates and walnuts to this recipe not only heightens the flavor but also its healthful values.

Dates are rich in iron, fiber and antioxidants, aid in digestion and boost energy while walnuts are an excellent source of antioxidants and omega-3's.

Banana Date Bread

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dried dates (I love Hadley's!)
1 egg
3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8x4x2 loaf pan; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients; flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and dates.

In another bowl, combine the egg, bananas, sugar, and cooking oil. Add egg mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in nuts.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degrees oven 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool and serve.