Simple Banana Cake Recipe

In the search for recipes there will always be some wonderful new discoveries.  My search has led me to follow a fantastic woman named Marissa on her blog Little House Living.  She has all kinds of tips for frugal living, homesteading, DIY projects,vand because of her own son's food intolerances, many recipes that I have just begun exploring.  This week I tried out her Simple Banana Cake Recipe.  I did not have to make any changes to the recipe, and it turned out wonderful!

To play with the texture a little, I plan on making this again but adding a bit of Xanthan gum to the dry ingredients.  I also plan on trying a little extra applesauce as my cake came out just a little dryer than I like (although that could be because I used one of my son's GoGo Squeez apple-banana sauce blend packs instead of straight applesauce.)





We also used a frosting recipe from Melissa's site-- the Old Fashioned Caramel Frosting.   Be careful with this recipe, I slightly overcooked the sugar and it affects the flavor.   It still was very good, but took on a more maple-like flavor.  A basic sugar frosting or a chocolate creme would also be delicious.  Perhaps a fruit-flavored mix like strawberry?  Banana cake opens a lot of flavor combination possibilities, or is completely delicious on its own!

Flourless Peanut Butter and Banana cookies

Ingredients:  
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 med size banana
Granulated sugar
*1/2 cup chocolate, carob, or other chips (optional). We used non-vegan pumpkin spice chips, but carob or some dark chocolate chips work for a vegan recipe.

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, beat banana with mixer until paste-like.    Add brown sugar and peanut butter and mix at a medium speed until well blended.

3. Shape dough into balls of about 1&1/2" diameter and space about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Dip fork into granulated sugar and flatten with criss-cross pattern to about 1/2" thickness.  If desired, press 3-4 chips on top of each cookie.

4. Bake 12 minutes or until set.  Allow to cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet before moving to wire racks. Cookies will be very soft.  Allow cookies to cool completely.  Makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies.

Feature Product: Omanhene Cocoa Powder

Omanhene cocoa is a product that I came upon without intention of ever using it for baking.  In fact, it is a product I use in my job as a barista daily, making hot chocolates and mochas with their hot cocoa mix.  Realizing that the mix is a vegan and gluten free product drew my attention and piqued my interest in Omanhene and what other products the company has to offer. By investigating the company I found more than just products that I like, I found a company and world philosophy I can stand by.

Omanhene products available at  Omanhene.com

According to Omanhene's website  the company has adopted a "Beyond Fair Trade" policy.  "The fair trade issue is a complicated and nuanced one.  I characterize Omanhene’s efforts in Ghana as “beyond fair trade” since we are concerned with the entire value chain, not just the initial transaction involving payments to farmers.  At the end of the day, there are many paths to creating a more just and peaceful world and I support all efforts to improve the human condition."   Omanhene adapts its business practice to the fairest practices for the farmers paying prices to farmers as set by the Government of Ghana rather than fitting into the narrow spectrum of Fair Trade Co-ops. 90% of cocoa farms of Ghana are independent and fair better from government set pricing as well the additional benefits Omanhene brings with the company, such as in-country processing plants and addressing child labor issues, among others. The ethical and business practices are a part of the same with this company, and that makes me admire them all the more.

Omanhene offers world class dark and milk chocolates, hot cocoa mixes, as well as pure cocoa powder and cocoa butter for confections and baking.  I look forward to trying a variety of their products in my baking endeavors!

Gingerbread - Gluten free vegan style

My assistant and chief decorator Haydn

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: approx 8 minutes

Ingredient list:

1/2 c dairy-free butter substitute ( my favorite is Earth Balance)

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c unsulfered molasses

1/2 t. vanilla extract

2 1/2 t. ground ginger

1 t. ground cloves

1 1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. Salt

1 t. Xantham gum 

2 1/2 c. Gluten free all-purpose baking flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350*

2.  Combine shortening and brown sugar in a bowl with mixer until fluffy

3.  Add in molasses and vanilla and continue to mix.

4.  Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to wet mixture.  Dough should be somewhat firm and good for rolling out.

5.  Roll out to 1/3-1/2" thick

6.  Bake about 8 minutes until slightly risen with a touch of color at the edges.  

7.   Allow to cool.  Store in an airtight container.

This is one happy kid!

New year, new recipes, new blog!

2015 might not have any huge significance yet, but it has been weighing on my mind to make some dietary changes.  Not necessarily with how I eat, but more so with what I eat.  I am what one might call an Intolerant Eater.  I feel guilty attending family functions because separate dishes always have to be made for me.  Just imagine how hard it is to not be able to eat dairy while living in the Dairy State?  I sometimes give in to the closest proximity of what I SHOULD eat with what is actually available and, in turn, pay for it later.  My plan is to do more cooking and baking to not only help myself, but others like me.

With the holidays so recently passed I have decided that there should be more resources for people like me.  I've picked up books on gluten free foods and vegan eating to try to find recipes for things I like, but many are either so complicated (do you know how many types of flour there are?!) or so foreign to me that the books do me no justice when I'm looking for easy alternatives to recipes I might already have in mind.  My idea with this blog is to put together a collection of easy recipes and tips specifically for baking...the part of cooking where my heart truly lies!  I would like to address dairy free, gluten free, allergen free and sugar free options as well as any other requests along the way.  I frequently turn to vegan baking since dairy is such a big issue for me, so you will see vegan options as well.  I look forward to trying and reviewing different products as well as coming up with creative yet simple problem solving solutions for baking.

The first recipes you will be seeing are a retrospect of things I made over this past holiday season....gingerbread, coconut macaroons, pumpkin pie (including crust recipe), and peppermint crispy balls.

Look for tags throughout this blog designating dietary issues addressed (gluten free, dairy free, etc.)  as well as type of baking you see (holidays, cookies, bread, etc.)

Delightfully yours,
 Annie