Banana bread is one of the heartiest ways to enjoy keeping warm in the winter. Back in the day we used to eat it slathered with cream cheese or butter. As we grew older and wiser (and flabbier!) we wanted banana bread with the same sweet stick-to-your-ribs goodness as Moms. But without the saturated fat and too much sugar that can lead to so many health problems.  Don’t think you have to compromise on taste in order to eat healthy banana bread fit for a king or queen. In fact, I would choose this banana bread any day over the old stuff. The flavors are richer and it has a hint of cinnamon. Try it, and let us know what you think. Oh yeah, it is still a great way to recycle ripe bananas that are too ripe to eat.  A helpful hint is to keep ripe bananas in freezer until ready to use. Thaw or microwave until soft, and use like you would any ripe banana. Flavor is more intense!

The Recipe:

2 large or 3 small very ripe bananas

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup sugar

2 TB molasses or  maple syrup

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Optional: add chocolate chips with the dry ingredients (but I wouldn’t!)

Preheat over to 350. Lightly grease 9 x 5 in bread pan.

In large mixing bowl, mash the bananas really well. Add sugar, applesauce, oil and molasses. Whisk briskly to incorporate.

Sift in flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Use wooden spoon to mix until the wet an dry ingredients are just combined.

Transfer batter into prepared pan and bake 45-50 minutes. Top should be lightly browned and knife inserted through center should come out clean.

Remove from oven and invert on to cooling rack; flip bread right side up and cool.

Try this, bookmark us, and let us know how you liked this recipe, adapted from Veganomicon (see below). Check out our other healthy easy recipes in our Foodies category! And remember, when you buy our eco friendly products, you are helping cold and hungry people.

Winter cookies are delicious, dense and packed with nutrients.  They are a mini meal in themselves.  Good for road trips and outdoor forays as well as snack time around the fireplace when you return home, winter cookies are satisfying and nutritious.

Here is one of my favorites.  The black currants, cherries, apricots and flaked coconut along with toasted walnuts balance out the rich, sweet butter flavor of the cookie base.  The dried fruits deliver tartness and nutrients while the walnuts add texture and omega 3 fatty acids.  City Market is an excellent place to pick up organic dried fruits, not treated with sulfur dioxide.

These dense, almost biscotti-like, treats are easy to make, pack well and are delicious on the trail or at home.

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed, dark brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ¼ cups all purpose, unbleached flour
• 1 cup “quick-cooking” rolled oats
• 1/3 cup (generous) each of: dried cherries, dried black currants, dried apricots, flaked coconut and toasted walnuts.

Instructions:

To toast walnuts, rough chop and place on cookie sheet.  Toast in oven at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes until golden and fragrant.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl beat butter with electric mixer for a minute then add the sugars and the sodas.  Beat until combined then add eggs and vanilla until thoroughly incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the flour.  Using a spoon, mix in the fruits and nuts.

Drop by 1/8 cupfuls (tiny ice cream scoop) of dough on ungreased cookie sheets leaving 2” between each drop.

Bake 10 minutes in the middle of the oven, checking to make sure the edges are golden and the centers cooked.

Let cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute then transfer to cooling rack.

Wrap individually in parchment paper for easy transport, arrange in a cello bag for gift giving or fill a plate for houseguests.

Eat and enjoy!

Easy Healthy Food Recipes

Whether you grow your own tart Macintosh or buy organic Red Delicious or Northern Spry apples, you know the crispy crunch of fresh apples is not going to last forever. One of the best things you can do with aging apples, before one apple spoils the whole bunch is make apple crisp. Some studies and anecdotal evidence suggests that the smell of apple crisp alone is enough to make people fall in love. If that is your aim please let us know if it has the desired effect!

Some of the old-time recipes include things like butter, tons of sugar and even alcohol but we know that you don’t need all that other junk to make apple crisp with male syrup something special. In fact, our apple crisp is heart-healthy, low sugar and even holds up to the vegan label. If you are a desert lover looking to cut calories or a sensible eater with a special occasion, this recipe is for you. Donna can whip up a delicious apple crisp for four in a few minutes. The apples reduce a bit and the topping mingles into the apples to give them more flavor!  Some people love their maple apple crisp with milk. I just love mine all by itself! Please let us know how it comes out.

The Recipe:

4 medium to large apples, peeled and sliced thinly

Topping:

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 T vegetable oil

3 T maple syryup

Place apples in bottom of  6-8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle on topping. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cook longer for mushier apples and less for crunchier apple texture.

Check out our other healthy easy recipes in our Foodies category! And remember, when you buy our eco friendly products, you are helping cold and hungry people.

Garlic (allium sativum) is part of the “lily” family and closely related to onions, shallots and leeks.  Native to Asia, it is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world.  Currently, there are 300 known varieties of garlic.  One of the most common and most flavorful, is the papery white-skinned garlic grown in California.

Garlic has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries.  Flavorful, nutritious and healthy, garlic is incorporated in native dishes worldwide.  France, China, Mexico and Italy are particularly known cuisine using garlic.

How you prepare garlic determines the final flavor in cooking.  The more juice and oil extracted from the bulb, the stronger the flavor. Pressing fresh garlic releases the most oil, which provides that pungent flavor. Crushing garlic also releases considerable oils resulting in a strong flavor.  Prepare garlic this way when you want a strong kick of garlic in your food.  Mincing garlic provides a moderate release of juice and consequently a modest flavor.  This method is perfect for flavoring oil for sautéing.  Chopped and sliced garlic does not cook down or dissolve completely so the end result flavor is mellow.  This prep method works well in soup making.  Finally, roasting garlic produces a mild, nutty flavor delicious as a spread or pureed and added to sauces.

Roasting is simple.  Any baking dish, muffin tin or aluminum foil will do.

Cut off a half inch off the top of one or several bulbs of   garlic.  You just want to expose the tips of the bulbs. Remove any loose papery skin but not all of it as you want the bulb to stay intact for roasting purposes.

Place the bulbs in your cooking dish and generously drizzle with olive oil.  Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

You can add ½” of water to your baking dish or leave dry. Cover tightly with foil and bake at low temperature (325degrees) for about an hour or until tender when pierced with a fork.  Cooking time will depend upon the size of your garlic bulbs.  Do not jack up the oven temp; high heat and olive oil is not a healthy combination.

Serve roasted garlic on slices of wonderful bread—just squeeze the cloves onto the bread and thin out with a knife.  Roasted garlic paste is excellent in sauces, soups, dressings and dips.  You can also spread garlic paste under the skin of poultry before roasting or mix garlic paste with butter to produce a flavored butter.  A thin slice of chilled flavored butter is wonderful on grilled steak, baked potatoes or steamed vegetables.

Garlic is a rich source of Vitamin C, vitamin B and manganese. Also packed with sulfur compounds, garlic contains powerful antioxidants, antibacterial and antiviral agents.

Regular consumption of garlic is said to lower blood pressure, reduce LDL cholesterol and may play a role in reducing stroke and heart attack risk.

Purchasing organic is best but however you buy garlic, make sure the bulb is firm to the touch and shows no signs of sprouting or mildew/mold growth.  Store in a dry, dark place for about a month.

We would love you to comment or share your own garlic favorites. And be sure to see the rest of our healthy food recipes in our Foodies category.

All photos by Allison

Sugar on snow: atate4, Flickr

There are few treats as magical and cool as sugar on snow. I remember growing up with sugar on snow parties and all the romantic excitement they would bring. Sugar on snow is still used as an excuse to get people together in the springtime when the sap is still running and there is still fresh snow in the hills.

The mystique of sugar on snow come from have real maple syrup and if you are going to have real maple syrup you had better buy it from or make it in the world’s leading maple producer, Vermont.  Once you have it, you will never want the cane, corn or other alternatives again. Maple is simply the most beautiful, delicate taste you can imagine. As my old roommate Jim would say, “Vermont maple syrup is nectar from the gods.” Maple syrup recipes are rare and you will need to find Grandma’s cookbooks for good ones. We have a couple in our Foodies category worth trying.

Sugar on snow is definitely a dessert recipe. The product is an almost chewy maple candy that is really one-of-a-kind. This is how you can make sugar on snow:

The Recipe:

Boil maple syrup in a pan until it is bubbling at approximately 232 degrees Fahrenheit, if you have a candy thermometer. Test by dropping small amounts onto a pan of snow. The syrup should stay on top of the surface of the snow. When the maple syrup is ready, put some in a cup or pitcher and drizzle it over the prepared snow, moving quickly to different areas of the dish so the hot syrup doesn’t melt deeply into the snow. Use a fork and lift the chewy delicacy from the snow. Sugar on snow can be eaten with fresh donuts as a special treat.

Want to buy some pure Vermont Maple Syrup and have your own sugar on snow party this weekend? Buy it here:

Photo: striatic/Flickr
As we break into deep January, it’s not too late to think about what a crappy year 2010 was and how we can improve things in the year ahead. If you are optimistic about the future, another way to look at it is: what are some things you can do to muff it up?

Don’t watch the weather reports

If the volcanoes, New Year’s Eve tornadoes, California mudslides, Australian floods, polar air of minus 40 degrees or century blizzards haven’t grabbed your attention yet, they will soon. NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, predicts that one of the impacts of climate change will be larger, more unpredictable weather ahead. Even the insurance industry is beginning to take notice of the potential for its ability to keep up. We may not see out-of-season tornadoes or another Katrina for awhile, but then out of nowhere — kablooey! You get walloped!

Buy that gas-guzzling car you’ve secretly wanted

Oil experts are predicting we’ll pay $5 for a gallon of gas within a year or so. You don’t believe it? Oil reserves are being used up while demand and oil prices are rising with the economic recovery. Tree hugger environmentalists say it’s one impact from “peak oil,” the point where half of the Earth’s oil has essentially been depleted. (It’s explained by the old supply and demand equation.) And when oil and gas prices go up, transportation, durable goods and everything from food to fertilizer — anything that is made from crude oil, which is pretty much everything — costs more. Unless you are one of those people who can afford anything, or you are living off the land, now is a good time to think about living more efficiently. If you plan ahead, you will be glad you bought that greener car.

Stay apathetic about our genius leaders in Washington

American voters just elected a new freshman class in the House, but don’t be so sure much will change anytime soon. Why do normally positive folks like us take a skeptical view on this? Because the same laws and regulations that bring us influence-peddling in the name of free speech, high self-awarded congressional salaries and benefits, and earmarks (even by a different name) persist. It’s time to get politically active if you want change to happen!

Ramp up your couch potato exercise routine

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity remain public enemies to personal wellness, which is the absence of illness. The longer the human body goes without regular exercise and a good diet, the more prone to chronic disease it becomes. The more consistently we do 30 to 60 minutes of exercise each day, the less disease we have. Start getting exercise now to improve the quality of the rest of your life.

Leave retooling your résumé to chance

From China to Mexico to the U.S., the global marketplace is changing the employment picture. Our demand for affordable stuff fuels economies in parts of the world where hourly wages are much lower than in the U.S. The careers of the past are being replaced by more automation and more competition with lower wages elsewhere. When jobs disappear, employees will have to relocate or retrain if they want to find or create new jobs and careers. The green energy sector will continue to be a growth area if you are looking for a job.

Put off learning sustainable gardening

There is a growing library of literature showing that our water and food supply is increasingly unsafe, not nutritious, and not sustainable. This is a result of peak oil, environmental degradation, climate change, political instability and other reasons. All of these factors (and more) will create more uncertainty in safe water and plentiful safe food production, and result in higher water and food prices in the future, to say the least. A political conflict could create disastrous consequences, since all 7 billion earthlings need food and water on a regular basis. It is high time to learn how to grow your own food and conserve water.

This article was written by Glenn Fay and appeared on MNN.com last week.

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No cookie is made for winter like a molasses cookie. Maybe you can buy really yummy molasses cookies almost anywhere or even make your own. But who really wants lard and saturated fat that causes heart problems and other circulatory disorders? We think it is time for healthy recipes with smart food in mind. These cookies are quick to make and disappear fast at any gathering. We like them so much we are giving them away free at the Vermont Green Home and Living Show later this week! Before you get the recipe, you should know that these cookies will permeate your house with a wonderful aroma for hours and have been known to induce aphrodisiac affects!

Whisk together til smooth:

3/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup nonfat plain soy yogurt

1/2 cup sugar

2 TB vegetable oil

Stir together:

2 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and ginger

1/2 tsp each baking soda, cloves, salt

Stir dry ingredients into wet, just until blended. Drop by tablespoonful on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake til browned, about 15-20 minutes at 350.

If you like this recipe, check out our Foodies blog category, subscribe to our blog and tell a friend!

Photo: Glenn Fay

Gingerbread evokes indescribable smells from the kitchen, the holiday season, children’s story books and even romance. It evokes memories of Mom and growing up and feeling happy. But healthy gingerbread? Well that’s a different story. It seems that so many things in life that are as lovely as gingerbread are bad for you. It doesn’t seem possible that something this good could be filled with so much goodness. This recipe, save for the egg, is vegan, which for a lot of people, is the way to go. Some people like their gingerbread with lemon icing drizzled on the top and others like confectionary sugar sprinkled over it. For me, less sugar is better. I want to taste that gingerbread. The question isn’t “Do you want gingerbread?” but rather, “How big a piece of gingerbread would you like?” I’ll take mine extra large, with a cold glass of skim milk. Here’s to your health!

The Recipe:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Add and beat well:

1/2 cup sugar

l egg

Sift together:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp each cinnamon and ginger–I don’t measure. I would add more to give it more spiciness, depending on personal preference

1/2 tsp salt

Combine:

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup honey

1 cup hot water

Add dry ingredients and liquid ingredients alternately to the oil mixture until blended. Bake in greased 9 x 9 pan about 1 hour.

Did you like this recipe? Please let us know what you think!  And be sure to check out our other healthy recipes in our Foodies category and our Earth-friendly products.

One passion food that tastes wonderful year-round is the humble omelet. Often we make swiss or cheddar cheese, onions, pepper and onion omelets with home fries and turkey and chicken sausage. This time we tried something a bit different. The mediterranean omelet begins with olive oil, shallots, red potatoes and farm fresh eggs and is nothing short of magnificent! The mingling between the shallots, potatoes and fresh eggs is as delicious as it is heart-healthy. This recipe makes a dinner for two. We served it with some Klingers Honey Wheat and Al Fresco Apple-Maple Chicken Sausage.  Next to a fire in the wood stove, this is a meal that will warm the cockles of your heats and fortify you against the evening news and help keep you healthy for the long winter ahead.

The Ingredients

• 4 large to jumbo eggs
• 4 medium potatoes -peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 medium shallots – peeled and diced
• 6 TBS olive oil
• salt  to taste

The Recipe

1. Heat the 4 TBS olive oil in an 8-inch skillet or omelette pan. Add the shallots and turn heat to low. Stir with a wooden spoon and cover. Cook for five minutes, stirring once every minute.

2. Turn heat to medium-low, and add the diced potatoes,  mix well and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, stirring every few minutes.

3. Beat the eggs in a larger bowl with a fork and add salt to taste.

4. Remove the shallot/potato mixture from the skillet with a perforated spoon spatula, draining away the remaining oil, and add them to the bowl with the whisked eggs. Remove any oil left in the skillet.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet or omelette pan. When the olive oil is very hot, add the mixture for preparing the omelette recipe.Distribute it evenly, but without stirring, over the whole base of the skillet. Turn heat to low, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes.

6. Cover the skillet with a plate or dish, placing it upside down over the skillet. Hold the skillet by the handle with one hand, and put the other hand flat on the plate. Flip the skillet over so that the half-cooked omelette lands on the plate,  slide the omelette back into the skillet with the uncooked side down.

7. Turn heat to low, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes or until it is done.

Do you like this recipe? Be sure to check out our Foodies Category and our Homewares.