Banana Bread

This recipe is from my friend Barbara.  She is amazing in the kitchen and I LOVE all of her recipes.

3 bananas mashed (real ripe)
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 cups whole wheat (or oat) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
in a large bowl:  mash bananas then beat in 2 eggs with sugar.  add remaining wet ingredients.  in a separate bowl combine dry ingredients.  slowly add dry ingredients to banana mixture.  pour into greased and floured loaf pan and bake for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.  you may need to cover with foil if getting too brown.  i usually check the bread after 40 minutes and then cover with foil.

This isn't the healthiest snack but it's so good.  I did make a few adjustments by using whole wheat flour, reducing the amount of sugar (the original recipe calls for one cup of sugar), and I used lowfat buttermilk.  I leave out the nuts, too.  I always make a double portion and stick one loaf in the freezer.  This bread is so moist-- love it!

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart.  The key to making healthy cookies is using whole wheat flour (or oat flour) and dark brown sugar (or turbinado sugar).  These ingredients are not stripped of their nutrients like white flour and granulated white sugar. 

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

1/2 cup dried currants or raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours and baking powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add flour mixture, and stir to combine; mix in oats and currants.

Using two tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into balls; place on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prep time:  10 minutes