Peanut Butter Banana Bread

from Cooking Light magazine. I didn't have the peanuts so I left them out and it was still great.

1 1/2 c mashed ripe bananas
1/3 c plain yogurt
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 sugar
1/2 brown sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 c ground flaxseed (this is really healthy, but if you don't have any you can use flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
2 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first five ingredients, beat in sugars until well blended. Combine dry ingredients and add to wet, then stir in peanuts. Pour batter into a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at 350 for about at hour, cool 10 minutes in pan, then remove and cool on wire rack.

Glaze:
Combine 1/3 c powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon peanut butter with a whisk. Drizzle over bread.

Blackberry Frozen Yogurt

We inherited an ice cream maker a few weeks ago and have had a lot of fun with it! This is our favorite that we have made so far.

2 cups vanilla yogurt
1/2 c milk
1/4 c sugar
1-2 c fresh blackberries, pureed and strained
1 T lemon juice

Combine ingredients and place in ice cream maker.

Pancakes

This is from the book Deceptively Delicious, which I am really enjoying. The idea is that you add vegetable and fruit puree to everything so that your kids get some vitamins even if they are refusing to eat their vegetables. I'm not sure if its enough to really make a big difference, but its worth trying. You can always use baby food if you don't want to go to the trouble of making the purees. These are really yummy.

1 cup water
1/2 cup sweet potato puree
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pancake mix

Mix the batter and cook the pancakes. Serve with whatever you like.

Hummus

This is adapted from my mom's recipe. The tahini is a little hard to find; you can find it in health or ethnic food stores. You can still make this without it, or even throw in some sesame seeds in the food processor instead.

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup tahini (sesame butter)
3 T chopped cilantro (a handful of leaves)
2 -- 4 cloves garlic
juice of one large lemon
2 T water
1 T olive oil
a pinch cumin
Process in food processor until fairly smooth.Makes about 3 cups.Serve with warm pita and raw vegetables such as lettuce, chopped cucumber, diced tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, olives, or sprouts. Or use as a dip with chips or crackers.
Or make pinwheel sandwiches by spreading 3/4 - 1 cup hummus on a piece of lavash bread (or torilla), add lettuce (with the crunchy part torn out) or baby spinach and any of the other vegetables mentioned above. Roll it up and slice.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

This is a yummy, LOW FAT cake!! We're having it tonight with strawberries and whipped cream made from powdered milk. Mmm!

2 eggs (stand at room temp. for 1/2 hour)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 T butter


Grease 9x9 inch baking pan, and set oven to 350F. Stir together flour and baking powder and set aside.

Beat eggs on high in a medium bowl for about 4 minutes or until they are thick. Gradually add the sugar, beating on medium for 4 to 5 minutes, or until ight and fluffy. add the flour mixture, and beat on low until just combined.

In a small saucepan heat and stir milk and butter until butter melts, then add to batter, beating on low until combined. Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.