We had two sorry looking bananas on the counter. I could've frozen them for a future baking opp, but decided to find something to do with them right then and there. I looked up a few recipes, combined, made a few tweaks and got some yummy results.
A nice mix of cake/bars. Chewy, dense, moist and flavorful.
Banana Bars
3/4 Cup coconut oil
1 Cup sugar
3 TBSP ground golden flax seed
5 TBSP water
2 Ripe bananas
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 Cup flour
2 Cups oatmeal
1 Cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 chopped nuts of choice (optional)
Set oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 13 pan (I use the oil left in the bottom of the measuring cup after I dump the coconut oil into the bowl. )
In small cereal size bowl mix flax seed and water together. Allow to sit while you stir sugar into the coconut oil in a medium to large mixing bowl, Mash bananas into that mixture, Stir in vanilla, baking powder and salt. Add the flax seed mixture and blend well. Stir in flour and oatmeal. Finally mix in chocolate chips and nuts.
Bake 30-35 minutes.
X-ta asked for more menu ideas.
So here are a few....
Cashew no-Chicken
over prepared brown rice or quinoa
Chop Salad with Asian dressing..
Purple Cabbage, Edamame, diced celery, onions, bits of ginger if you like fresh ginger, chopped almonds or peanuts and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Or here's a recipe I think I need to try...
Another favorite
TJ's has tasty falafel in their freezer case.
We have a great Dhal recipe over rice. Served with Vegan Naan bread.
1 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion
1 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 teasp cinnamon
1 clove garlic minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dried lentils
1/4 cup cilantro (fresh) or 1 tsp dried
Heat olive oil, saute chopped onion, garlic. Add spices and vegetable broth. Add lentils. Bring to low boil, turn down heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool a bit, blend to a chunky gravy.
And a link to another version.
Have a terrific weekend.
So I was waxing on about this organic superpower, a woman who exudes horticultural wisdom and many, many, many green thumbs... (Super Organic Girl - SOG) in the heart of small town Iowa. This woman who sounded lik
e a mix of gun-toting, chew-chomping Granny Clampett and Windchime Moodring Stamensniffer, the love child of the "Make Love not War" 60’s prom king and queen.
I was intimidated. Me, a part-time volunteer, clueless plant-gatherer, daring to step onto her property…very intimidated.
We pulled up to the compound located on a ribbon of intersecting gravel roads. The gate was open, and clearly it was a garden as there were large greenhouses next to the modern home. A few people milled around. We’d been told that we might not get to see “her.” But that her assistant would help us out.
But then the sun glinted off a flash of metal and a gasp escaped the farmer. She said her name…the grown-up professional name, not the y-ended softie nickname. Upon glimpsing her, I renamed her Plant-Xena.
Let me describe her. Have you seen the Terminator movies? (Not sure which one, I tend to multitask during thos
e types of movies.) However, I do remember one scene wherein the female lead is all muscle and sinew, and packing heat. She puts a whole new spin on the word stunning. If you know what I'm talking about pull up that mental picture. Replace “heat” with a knife, some gloves and a stick, the camo clothing with crocs, and dirt encrusted jeans and t-shirt, and the golden hair with glittering silver and yo
u might have a good mental image of Plant-Xena.
Plant-Xena would make a perfect poster-girl for organic growers. Lean, mean, planting/harvesting machine. Firm handshake, no apologies for any dirt streaks on her face, no time for wasting. “Grab your boxes and let’s go ladies.”
We power harvested, all the time listening to the functional plantish conversation between our farmer and Plant-Xena. I did notice that every time I worked up the courage to look at Plant-Xena she was nibbling on leaves. “Oh, this kale is delicious.” “Have you tried the chard? Try it!” and she would make short work of whatever green she was bunny-rabbiting.
When the boxes were filled, she dismissed us, then hesitated. “Wait, come in for a minute. Chop. Chop. Ladies.” We chopped, chopped. “Here, taste this.” She filled two cups with green liquid. “Dandelion tea.”
So.
I had tea with Plant-Xena the Organic Warrior Queen. What did you do on Tuesday.
: ) Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
The vegetable farm was an adventure yesterday. A cool, pleasant adventure. I donned my glove (24 and I shared hers as she's a lefty and I'm a righty and, well, we only needed to protect one hand from the other hand) grabbed the sharpened lettuce knife (hence the protection... can't very well offer organic lettuce that has been bled upon... even though that would be, technically, organic.)
I harvested bags of the green stuff, while 24 harvested braising mix and spinach. However, the kale was not cooperating. And since the previous week had found our farmer buying some produce from another grower, she decided to do the same with kale. And swiss chard. But someone had to go pick it up.
We went on a field trip. Apparently there is a thriving organic pocket in my side yard (not literally, but a mere twenty minute drive away). And crazy as this sounds, there is a female organic guru of sorts who lives in said pocket who provides the classy, natural and upscale restaurants in our metro area with produce. Our farmer filled us in on Super Organic Girl (SOG) while we drove the seven miles to her compound. Now I can't tell you her name, but it's one that could be shortened into a cute nickname ending in y. I doubt anyone calls her by a cute y-ending nickname. Apparently, this woman is the go-to woman for any person looking into organic growing or selling and is surrounded by organic groupies and wanna bes wherever she makes an appearance.
This chick (SOG) is the real deal. So while we were driving and talking, I'm wondering what we will see. Will she be like Beverly Hillbillies Granny, a wizened woman who packs heat and sits in a rocking chair? Will she be the stereotype hippie who wears hemp, dreadlocks and no footwear?
We pulled into the compound....and I have to get to work....to be continued.
After a week of bizarre and record breaking weather, Iowa is perfectly in the 60's and 70's. Last Tuesday's 97 degree day (the one where we swooned in the green house -- gasping for air and water) was followed by a weekend that hit high 30's in the evenings. Really.
Today will be another day at the organic farm. I'm so looking forward to it. It may be my last organic garden adventure for a bit since the other helper should be back next week. And last night, after we had to shop for a washing machine. (BUNNY TRAIL ) UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Don't you just hate being grown-up sometimes? 
Sheesh.
When we were kids money grew on trees and appliances were just there to make our parent's lives easier -- and more importantly, ours. The machine we are replacing is one that was a used one, and last year it took a powder... the repairman, after collecting his $50.00 service call fee, switched out a belt, and gave it a test drive. UGH. It then began leaking and he pointed out the heavy duty plastic drum that had a small leak.
He basically said that $50.00 was too much to invest and he was really sorry it was non-refundable. Rob actually gorilla glued a chunk of plastic over the leak. The dang thing was working, leak-free, until it stopped spinning and agitating last week. It's time to retire it. Forever. At least we got a year out of it before it tanked.
Back to the garden talk... after the washing machine hunt, we walked around our own little piece of agriculture. Our blueberry bushes are decked out in white flowery buds and my folks bought us an apple tree for mother and father's day. Our raspberries look like they are really going to come through with a yield this year. Rob wants to add another four-by-four section to the garden, cut out some tree branches that have made our main garden a little shady in spots, and add another row of stones at the base of the main garden for a tomato bed.
One of the things the organic farmers mentioned to 24 was that placing potatoes, eggplant and tomatoes in the same spot 
year after year is not good. They need to be rotated or the yield starts to suffer. Apparently they release something into the ground that makes future crops suffer. So. We will be planting tomatoes and eggplant in different spots and skipping the potatoes this year. They weren't worth it last year. As in we got a handful, if that.
After we are done at the organic garden, 24 and I have been given honey-do lists for what we can do to help Rob out since this weekend the garden will be going in. In July I'm going to be happy, happy, joy, joy when we start hauling in delicious produce.
And, lest you think I won't be trying any new recipes for awhile. Ha. We just got some information about tempeh.... what is that? you might ask. Fermented tofu...more or less.....you, of course, will be hearing about that.
Another kind of weird twist on recipes....is there any other kind in the Klepfer house?
"Chicken Salad"
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup non dairy plain yogurt
2 TBSP finely minced celery
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP mustard
1 1/2 cups of finely diced seitan.
Mix and use as you would any chicken salad. The picture has sprouts and extra mustard should you be concerned.... and the bread was rosemary from the garden bread that 24 baked. Pretty tasty.
Seitan recipe.
1 cup vital wheat gluten
3 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 tsp onion or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon basil, or cilantro or cumin
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable broth (or mixture of veggie broth and amino acids or soy or hot sauce to taste)
2 TBSP tahini,, hummus or almond butter
Mix tahini or almond butter into broth, stir until butter breaks down.
Mix all dry ingredients together, very well.
Pour liquid into dry ingredients and mix well. When it's hard to stir, use hands, knead until elasticy. Then pat dough into large rectangle (makes about a 9x9 pan's worth. Spray or lightly grease a cookie sheet. Then cut dough into small to smaller pieces. (For chick
en salad, cut to size of small crouton). For other recipes where you will be using this as chicken, cut in small cubes or strips. Place all on the cookie sheet, bake at 400 for 15 minutes, turning once in the middle. It will look and taste densely breadlike (because it pretty much is) but when saturated with a sauce or dressing it takes on a chicken-like density. You can refrigerate the extras for another meal.
And here's a link to a delicious award winning "brownie" dessert that I didn't tweak one iota. Yum.
So Blogger was seriously misbehaving. Hope yesterday's post comes back.
But. Here is a delici
ous pie recipe. I don't LOVE pie. And as far as pie choices...rhubarb would not be my first.
24 made this and I felt I should try it. Oh MY. It is delish.
Rhubarb Oh My Pie
4 c chopped fruit
3/4 c sugar
Mix fruit with sugar set aside.
After fruit has sat a hour. Mix in 3 heaping tablespoons of flour mix let sit.
Crust
1 c oil (coconut)
3 c flour
4 Tablespoon coconut milk
1 tsp salt
4 Tablespoon sugar
Mix all dry ingredients. Add liquid then mix with a fork.
Press crust dough into pie pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour into bottom of crust dump in fruit mix. Crumble remainder crust dough on top and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 for 45 mins.
