My Banana Bread Recipe, part 2 (no butter)

This is an update to the banana bread recipe I posted a few months back. In this version, I took out the butter and replaced it with oil. I also used 4 bananas instead of 3, and remembered to add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the recipe (not in the original recipe). I used only sugar, as I didn't have honey on hand. Also, I actually used 2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour, which is not dense like whole wheat flour, instead of the all-purpose/whole wheat mix. I have kept the recipe as is because those ingredients are easier to find.

My Banana Bread Recipe #2

Serving Size : 12

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar (I prefer brown or raw sugar)
2 eggs
4 bananas, mashed and ripe
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 oF. Grease pan or muffin tins.

In a large bowl, stir together flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In another bowl, mix together oil and sugar until somewhat fluffy; beat in eggs. Stir in banana, milk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir just to combine.

Spoon batter into pan and bake 25-30 minutes (less time if making muffins) or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove pan to wire racks. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan; finish cooling on rack. Serve warm or cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature. This freezes well.


Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 198 Calories; 6g Fat (26.6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 36mg Cholesterol; 205mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Rules of thumb for fat and sugar replacements in recipes

This is my starting point for replacing butter/shortening and sugar for baking:

1 cup butter/shortening = 1/2 cup oil, applesauce, pumpkin puree, or mashed bananas. If you use sweetened applesauce, you might want to reduce the sugar in the overall recipe.
1 cup sugar = 1/2 cup honey. I haven't tried maple syrup yet, but when I do, I'll use this same formula.

Some recipes may need more or less, or may not work at all, but I can't recall any problems with this so far. I personally prefer to use oil rather than the fruit/veg purees, I included it if you want to omit the fat in your food, or increase the nutrient content (such as in the pumpkin). You can always combine these substitutes. Either way, I try to avoid experimenting when I am making something for a particular occasion.

It can't be that bad, can it?

Welcome to the Carnival of Breastfeeding. I participated last July, and once again this month's theme is breastfeeding humor. I really don't have much funny or interesting things to say about my own experiences, but here is another one from someone I know:

My friend in Brazil wanted to wean her daughter, but her daughter (probably 18 months at the time) just wasn't ready. One of the things she tried was applying a paste from the boldo leaf, known for its bitter taste, onto the nipples. Soon after her daughter started nursing, she pulled off and said, "ruim", which means bad or yucky in Portuguese. Then she went right back to nursing!

Here are the other participants of the carnival:
Sinead: http://breastfeedingmums.typepad.com/breastfeedingmums_blog/2008/02/carnival-of-bre.html
Stacie: http://twinkies.bastetweb.com/2008/02/24/things-i-fear/
Tanya: http://breastfeeding.blog.motherwear.com/2008/02/the-14th-carniv.html
Amy: http://crunchydomesticgoddess.com/2008/02/25/a-little-breastfeeding-humor/
Angela: http://www.blisstree.com/breastfeeding123/even-more-wacky-search-engine-terms-for-the-humorous-carnival-of-breastfeeding/
Carol: http://happy-sadmama.blogspot.com/2008/02/for-love-of-nursies.html
Andi: http://mamaknowsbreast.com/2008/02/dads_and_breastfeeding.php

A sample of things going on around here...

It seems like those who haven't blogged in a while have come out of hiding, so I figure I would too. Here's a sample of what has been going on around here:

I have started doing the 8 minutes (more like 12) in the morning super easy workout by Jorge Cruise (just the workout, not the other components). I got a copy from the library last week. Given that I can't seem to fit anything else in, I thought I'd give it a try. I'll blog about it once I have a chance.

I'm actually reading something other than cookbooks and blogs. I'm reading Having a Mary Spirit, by Joanna Weaver. God has been teaching me a lot in the last few years about walking in the Spirit. It was so refreshing to hear (I heard her on the radio first) someone else articulate some things I have been learning. I'm actually going through it with my MIL and SIL. I've also been reading through Ezekiel with my husband. Recurring themes I have noted so far are God's justice, mercy and grace.

Speaking of cookbooks, I found out this week that I'm in Cook's Illustrated magazine in the March/April issue. Some time last year I didn't have anything to line my cookies in my toaster oven. That's when I thought of using paper muffin liners. Sure it would work for regular ovens too. Anyway, I'm glad I submitted that idea to them then because I had TOTALLY forgotten about it. As a matter of fact, I had trouble finding my tip because I didn't even remember what it was about. Well, I won a year's free subscription because they published my tip. I have always intended to post about CI (I posted a review of one of their cookbooks last year), and now that I have the monthly inspiration, that post may actually materialize.

Oh, and Cafe and Play also won startup money from the Intuit Just Start Competition. Way to go!

Of course, there is more, but I still have dishes to do. So until next time...

The Mother's Milk Bank of New England

Just wanted to let you all know that the Mother's Milk Bank of New England won the January Ideablog contest! If you voted for them, I'm sure many moms and babies thank you!

How NOT to get a child to eat their veggies

Cast: A grandmother and her 5 year old grandson.
Scene One: The dinner table

Grandma: Carrots are good for you. They help you see better.
Grandson: [quietly eats his carrots]

Scene Two: Later that evening, in the bedroom.

Grandson: [presenting the back cover of a Berenstain Bears Book showing a lot of tiny pictures of the covers of other books in the series] Grandma, can you read to me what books are on here? Grandma: I'm sorry, I can't read the writing. It's so small, I can't even see it properly.
Grandson: Well, what if we fixed you some carrots to eat so that you can see better?