Banana Bread & Hurricane Sandy

Today the DC area shut down for Hurricane Sandy. The TV stations are streaming continuous coverage of winds, waves, and water-bottle-less ailses at the grocery stores. Ironically, it was supposed to be "Pajama Day" at school today. Ms. Cassidy still wore her pajamas all day, just not in the classroom.

Have I told you that I have the best roommates? I have the best roommates. Look what we cooked up for lunch today. Moroccan stew, kale chips, and banana bread. Delish!

I eat so much better on hurricane days. Some of us already have cabin fever only after one day of Sandra Dee and are dancing around the apartment to the soundtrack of Grease. You heard it here first: "There are going to be a lot of babies born in 9 months." My favorite Sandy memes so far are:

and:

                           

Also, a good tip: have an apartment warming party two days before you are confined to the indoors for days on end. You will... stay warm... if the power goes out:

Our party had a costume option. I went as Jess from New Girl. I'm glad we got a little Halloween spirit in before the Frankenstorm.

                

 

The day off was a great opportunity to get some baking done, something that has become increasingly less frequent since becoming a teacher. I had bananas that I forgot to eat last week so banana bread seemed like a good choice.

Cozy spices of cinnamon and nutmeg along with a hint of vanilla satisfy your fall cravings. A cup of yogurt adds some tang (I used orange and ginger yogurt) and moisture to this otherwise hearty, yet cakey bread. I hope you enjoy and stay dry!

Banana Bread

yields one large loaf or multiple mini loaves

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup yogurt

3 bananas, mashed or pureed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare loaf pan(s) by greasing with butter and dusting with flour. In a large bowl, beat the butter until blended. Add the yogurt, bananas, eggs, and vanilla and beat until evenly combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for one hour before serving.

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Green Gazpacho and Desert Colors

It is no secret that the desert can often be an inimical and inhospitable place (see any and all posts between May and September where I'm probably complaining about the heat...). The desert takes some getting used to. The mountains are brown and the lawns are "zero-scaped" with stones. Grass is a luxury. Trees are a rarity. Plants attack. Yet, it would be a bold-faced lie to declare that the desert is devoid of life and color. 

Green cacti are highlighted all the more by complimentary red sandstone.

         

Catch a hummingbird between wing flaps, and see the varied green, blue, and purple hues in its feathers.

Even if all that surrounds is drab, the sky never disappoints.

And on that rare occasion, the most precious treasure springs forth and dances in the endless sunshine.

Ottolenghi's vegetarian cookbook Plenty is just as vibrant as these desert gems. The recipes are simple, yet incorporate a multitude of vegetables and complex flavors. Do not let the number of ingredients in this gazpacho deter you! This soup takes a mere 10 minutes to make. It is the most refreshing, yet filling and satisfying vegetarian dish I have made to date. So much so that I wanted to eat it for every meal of the day (Yes you will find a way to incorporate this into breakfast - omelette... breakfast burrito... soup for breakfast... it's fine...).

Green Gazpacho

Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi

yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 celery stalks (including the leaves)
2 small green bell peppers, stemmed and seeded
1 1/4 pounds cucumbers, peeled and seeded
3 slices stale bread, crust removed (I used multigrain, and would also recommend white or wheat)
1 fresh green chile/jalapeno, seeded
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups walnuts, lightly toasted
6 cups baby spinach
1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 cups water
9 ounces ice cubes
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions:
Roughly chop the celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, bread, chile, and garlic. Place these in a large bowl along with the sugar, walnuts, spinach, basil, parsley, vinegar, oil, yogurt, 1 1/2 cups of the water, half the ice cubes, the salt and a pinch of pepper.

Working in batches, pulse the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth, pouring each batch into a bowl and stirring to combine at the end. Add as much of the remaining 1/2 cup water, a little at a time, to get your preferred consistency.

Serve the green gazpacho immediately, ladling it into bowls and drizzling a little olive oil on top. Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Enjoy.
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