Chai Banana Bread

Ramp up your classic banana bread with the warming flavors of chai.  It will leave you with all the comfort feels.

 

Chai Banana Bread

I think everyone mastered the art of baking "banana bread" during the pandemic don't you?  Well banana bread is a classic for a reason, it's so darn good!  Let's take that basic bread and move it up a notch by adding some chai spice to the mix.  I love a good chai latte.  The flavors of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, just create the most magical spiced tea.  This spice blend is also wonderful in baked goods and is the perfect addition to banana bread.

This is a one bowl recipe and you don't need a mixer!  I just love that.  We always have overripe bananas left over from the week and they are perfect for banana bread, or muffins.  This is such an easy recipe that can be thrown together quickly with items from your pantry.  The baking time is a little long for such a dense quickbread so I would suggest making this on the weekend.  That way you can plan the baking time and will have this heavenly, incredibly delicious Chai Banana Bread all week long.  Perfect for breakfast, snacking, dessert, or with a cup of coffee or tea.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• eggs 

• medium ripe bananas

• canola oil

• milk

• all purpose flour

• baking powder

• salt

• light brown sugar or sugar substitute

• chai spice blend (I use this one)

• walnuts

Substitutions and Variations

• Flour - want a healthy bread with a more nutty flavor? use 1 cup of white whole wheat flour and 1 cup all purpose flour

• Sugar - you can use regular granulated white sugar if you choose, or even dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor

• Sugar substitute - Use a substitute that is good for baking.  I like King Arthur  Baking Sugar Alternative for white sugars, and Splenda Magic Baker Brown Zero Calorie Sweetener for my brown sugars

• Nuts - Leave them out if you prefer or swap them for hazelnuts or pecans

• Add Ins - Along with the Chai Spice try adding in mini chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or chopped fruit like pears or plums.  

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Long Baking time - you will need 50 - 60 minutes of baking time and about 30 prep time, so plan ahead.

• Chai Spice Blend sources:  
• Spice House Chai Spices - I use this one and it has a hint of vanilla in it.
• Amazon - Watkins Chai Powder - This does have a trace of tea in it and no vanilla.  If you want a vanilla hint add some to the muffin batter along with this spice.
• Amazon - Spicewalla Chai Masala - This Blend does not have any tea in it, nor does it have vanilla.  If you want a vanilla hint add some to the muffin batter along with this spice.
• Morton & Bassett Chai Spice - most major grocery stores carry this brand.  This does not contain vanilla.  If you want a vanilla hint add some to the  batter along with this spice.

• Do not overmix your batter - this will cause a dense tough product and no one wants that in a banana bread!  Just gently (Not vigorously ) mix until everything is just combined. A few streaks of flour is ok.  

More Banana Bread Recipes

• Chocolate Chip Ricotta Banana Bread

• Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread

• Brown Sugar Sour Cream Banana Bread

• Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread

• Nutella Swirl Banana Bread

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Chai Banana Bread

yield: 1 loaf

2 eggs beaten
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chai spice blend (I use this one)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl add the eggs and bananas, mashing and combining together.  Add in the milk and oil and stir to combine.  Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and chai spice blend.  Mix just until combined. (Do not overmix).  Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Pour batter in the prepared pan spreading evenly.  Bake 50-60 minutes , or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when tested in the center.  (cover the top of the bread if it starts to become too brown toward the end of baking)  Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert and remove from the pan.  Place on a wire rack to cool completely.  Slice and serve.

Easy Breakfasts: Blueberry and Strawberry Cornmeal Pancakes

A Southern take on the breakfast style pancake that's includes a dash of cornmeal along with your choice of blueberries, strawberries or both!

Blueberry and Strawberry Cornmeal Pancakes

I love a good pancake.  It's a comfort food that reminds me of sweet memories in the kitchen with mom making pancakes on the weekend.  A staple in our house is my great Aunt Grace's Farmstyle Buttermilk Pancakes.  They are a winner!  I also enjoy Pigs in a Blanket, Pumpkin Pancakes, Streusel Apple Pie Pancakes, and these excellent Banana Walnut Pancakes. 

Today we have a Southern take on a pancakes.  Some call them corn cakes or Johnny cakes as the names differ but they are the most delicious mix of a regular pancake with the addition of some cornmeal.  This produces out a light sweet pancake that has a bit of texture from the cornmeal.  A mix between cornbread and pancake.  With the addition of some sliced strawberries or blueberries topped with maple syrup, you will have one wonderful pancake breakfast,

These are easy to pull together.  You need one bowl, no mixer, no beaten egg whites....just simple and easy.  Just like it should be on a lazy weekend.  These are pancakes the whole family will love.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• butter

• flour - I used all purpose flour

• cornmeal - yellow cornmeal is often found in the US.  See Kitchen Tips and Notes for more on cornmeal

• sugar

• baking powder - this give them a nice rise

• salt

• eggs

• milk - use whole or 2%

• strawberries - I suggest using fresh strawberries

• blueberries - I suggest using fresh blueberries

• maple syrup - a great topping

Substitutions and Variations

• Milk:  try buttermilk

• Fruit:  add sliced peaches, bananas, or blackberries

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• What is cornmeal?  Coarse flour made from dried corn (maize).  It can be found in coarse, medium, and fine grinds. It can be yellow, white, or blue in color depending on the type of corn used.  Yellow is the most common type found in the US.  

• What is a good substitute for cornmeal?  
• Polenta - this is coarse and slightly gritty.  It has a similar texture to cornmeal.  I would choose this product if I can not find regular cornmeal.  You would substitute with a 1:1 ratio.  
• Corn Flour - this is a fine and smooth texture similar to flour.  This is mild and slightly sweet, with a strong corn flavor.  Good in baked goods but you won't get that gritty texture.  You would substitute with a 1:1 ratio.

• Adding fruit to your pancakes - for a more even distribution of fruit I like to add it to the top of the pancake while it's cooking in the skillet or griddle.  Adding them to the batter in the bowl usually results in getting more fruit on some of the pancakes and none in others.

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Blueberry and Strawberry Cornmeal Pancakes

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1⁄4 cup Flour
3⁄4 cup cornmeal
1 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1⁄2 cups milk
fresh sliced strawberries

fresh blueberries

maple syrup for serving

Melt remaining ¼ cup butter.  In a mixing bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the slightly cooled melted butter with eggs and milk. Add the liquid ingredients to dry; stir until just combined. 

On a griddle or large skillet over medium heat make pancakes by adding batter and then adding chopped strawberries or blueberries to the top.  Flip over once 1st side is golden and bubbles form on top.  Cook the second side until golden and remove.  Serves immediately with syrup.

Fall Flavors: Golden Beet and Feta Salad

Roasted golden beets and tangy feta come together in what I call the perfect autumn salad!

Golden Beet and Feta Salad

If you eat with your eyes first you'll enjoy the beautiful hue of this golden beet salad.  The deep gold colors of the beets will call to you like jewels sparkling in the sun!  Once roasted they become the earthy and sweet and so hard to resist.  I'm always waiting in anticipation for autumn to come around so I can grab a bag full of beets to roast.  Toss those with some tangy crumbled feta cheese, slices of juicy tomatoes, some roasted walnuts, all topped on a bed of spring green mix and you'll have the best autumn salad around!

I love this salad so much that I'm going to serve this as one of my Thanksgiving side dishes this year.  It's that good, that beautiful to look at, and that tasty!  I hope you try this soon and let me know what you think.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• spring green mix

• golden beets

• Roma tomatoes

• feta cheese - I like to buy this in a block and crumble it as needed

• walnuts - whole, halves, or pieces

• olive oil

• red wine vinegar

• Dijon mustard

• garlic

Substitutions and Variations

• Beets:  Try red beets instead of golden beets

• Cheese:  try goat cheese 

• Greens:  Spicy arugula or any green or red leaf lettuce would be good.

• Nuts:  Try pecans, pistachios, or pepitas,  or leave them out altogether

• Dressing:  Use your favorite dressing or substitute balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar.  

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Feta Cheese - I always buy feta by the block.  That way I can slice it or crumble it for various dishes or as a snack with pita and cucumbers.

• Roasting beets - this doesn't have to be a messy job.  Place them in foil, no need to peel them first, and then roast.  The peel will come off easily after they are roasted and cooled a bit.  A paper towel will work wonders.  If using red beets, make sure to wear gloves as these stain your fingers and everything they touch.

• Roasting nuts - I roasted the walnuts for this salad to give them a deeper nutty flavor.  I used a dry skillet over medium heat and just let them toast for 1 to 2 minutes until they are golden.  Stir them often during the toasting period and watch them closely as they will burn easily.

• Making homemade salad dressing - don't be intimidated by making your own homemade salad dressing.  It is so easy that you'll most likely forgo store bought dressing altogether!  The best part is the taste of the fresh ingredients.  You only need a handful of items to make a dressing.  It's usually comprised of 3 parts fat (oil, mayo etc) to 1 part acid (vinegar, lemon juice) plus a small amount of an emulsifier (mustard, honey, mayo, tomato paste etc.) then you can add in some flavor enhancers (garlic, shallot, herbs) and whisk all together and you're done. 

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Golden Beet and Feta Salad

serves 4

5 oz spring green mix
3-4 large golden beets
2 large Roma tomatoes
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup roasted walnuts

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small clove of garlic minced
dash of salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off any leafy tops from the beets.  Scrub them and loosely wrap them in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Wrap up the beets with the foil and roast for 45 -50 minutes.  Check the beets every 20 minutes or so.  They are done when a fork slides easily to the center of the beet.

Remove beets from the oven and allow to cool enough to be handled.  Remove the skins by using a paper towel to rub away the skins.  They should remove easily.  Slice or cube the beets for the salad.

To assemble:  In a large bowl or platter add the spring green mix.  Quarter the Roma tomatoes and place them and the beets on top of the greens.  Crumble the feta cheese and sprinkle them on top of the salad.  Add the roasted walnuts.  Drizzle with the red wine vinaigrette.

Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Skillet Sauté

Gather late summer's best produce and create this skillet sauté that will leave you craving for more!

Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Skillet Sauté

I have the perfect side dish that will be on the table in 30 minutes.  All you have to do is pick a protein to go with it and you have a well rounded meal.  Chicken, beef, pork, or fish will all work well with this side dish.

Use summer fresh corn on the cob, the abundance of zucchini which is available right now, and summer ripe tomatoes which are at their peak.  These will make the dish more flavorful when using the freshest in-season produce.  Add some aromatics like red onion and garlic and sauté them all together.  We finish with some fresh basil and voila, the dish is ready.  

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• butter

• red onion

• garlic

• zucchini

• corn on the cob

• grape tomatoes

• basil

Substitutions and Variations

• Vegetables:  add mushrooms, yellow squash, green beans

• Herbs: choose thyme, rosemary or oregano 

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Use a large skillet such as this one

• Butter provide a flavor for the dish but you can use olive oil or a neutral oil if you wish

• Great side dish for any protein (pork, beef, chicken, fish)

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Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Skillet Sauté

serves 4

3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 zucchini, halved and sliced in to moon shapes
3 ears corn, kernels removed
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1/4 cup basil, chopped
salt & pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.  Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens about 3 minutes.  Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Add in the corn and the extra tablespoon of butter and cook for 3 minutes.  Add in the tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften and burst about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove to a bowl or platter and garnish with a little extra basil on the top.  Serve.

Fig Week: Fig and Goat Cheese Salad

This fresh fig and goat cheese salad is a wonderful mix of textures and flavors.  The perfect early fall salad!

Fig and Goat Cheese Salad

The last installment of my Fig Week recipes ends with a simple salad that is a mixture of textures and flavors.  Fresh figs, creamy goat cheese, crunchy walnuts, sit on a bed of green leaf lettuce.  The combination can't be beat. You have sweet and savory flavors that all pack a punch.  Top it with a simple balsamic vinaigrette and you have a wonderful salad perfect for the transitional season to fall.  

It only takes minutes to throw together this salad but the payoff is immense in flavor.  It would be great for a light lunch or as a side dish to grilled steak or chicken.  We had this for lunch the other day with some crusty bread for lunch with a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc eating alfresco and enjoying the afternoon.  Such a wonderful meal.  Hurry to the store while the figs are in season (it's a short season) and grab some to make this excellent salad.

Enjoy! 

What Ingredients do I need?

• Green Leaf Lettuce 

• Fresh Figs - In season now.  Find them in stores or at a farmer's market

• Goat Cheese 

• Walnuts 

• Creamy Balsamic Dressing- I used Brianna's brand

Substitutions and Variations

• Cheese: Try a flavored goat cheese or switch to feta cheese 

• Greens: switch to red leaf lettuce or try arugula 

• Nuts:  Try pecans or pistachios 

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Make as much or as little as you need by adjusting the ingredients accordingly. 

• I love Brianna's Creamy Balsamic Dressing.  It has great flavor without all the bad stuff, plus its non-dairy, gluten and soy free.

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Fig and Goat Cheese Salad

1 head of green leaf lettuce, chopped
6-8 figs, stems cut off and quartered
1/3 cup walnuts
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Creamy Balsamic Dressing

In a large bowl or platter add the lettuce and top with the figs, walnuts, and goat cheese.  Drizzle with balsamic dressing and serve.

 

Fig Week: Fig Flatbread

Try this sweet and savory flatbread that has an unexpected topping of fresh figs, crumbled goat cheese, arugula, and a drizzle of heavenly balsamic glaze.  Not your ordinary thin-crust pizza!

Fig Flatbread

If you aren't lucky enough to have a fig tree in your yard (or a generous neighbor) make sure to go to the farmer's market and grab a few pounds of ripe figs and make this wonderful Fig Flatbread.  

Store-bought flatbread topped with sweet figs and crumbled goat cheese  make an extraordinary thin-crust pizza.  A drizzle of tangy balsamic glaze and a handful of peppery arugula give this a beautiful and flavorful finishing touch.  

This is one of the easiest pizzas to make and the taste is phenomenal!  I use some of the figs and bake them on the flatbread with some of the cheese and they turn out roasted and jammy.  Then I add the remaining fresh figs on top along with more goat cheese, arugula and get a fresh salad like pizza.  Soooo good!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Flatbread - store bought is great - see kitchen tips and notes for my favorite choices

• Fresh figs

• Goat Cheese

• Arugula

• Balsamic Glaze - see kitchen tips and notes for my favorite choices

Substitutions and Variations

• Add spinach instead of arugula

• Buy store bought pizza dough and roll out really thin instead of purchasing flatbreads

• Try feta instead of goat cheese

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Flatbreads:  use store-bought naan or flatbread.  Stonefire and Brooklyn Bred are both great brands

• Balsamic glaze - this is balsamic vinegar that has been reduced which gives it a condescended flavor and thickness. Brands - Colavita, Trader Joes, Roland Foods Glaze of Modena

• Make individual flatbread for each person or make 1 or 2 large flatbreads

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Fig Flatbread

1 pkg store-bought Flatbread (individual size or large size)
6 figs, thinly sliced crosswise
8 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup (large handful) arugula
1/4 cup balsamic glaze


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Take the store-bought flatbreads and place them on a baking sheet. Top the flatbread with 1/3 of the fig slices and the cheese. Bake about 10 minutes until the crust is slightly browned. Remove from the oven.

Top the flatbread with the remaining figs, arugula, and cheese. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Serve.

Fig Week: Fig Crostini

Sweet and succulent figs are sliced and are the crowning glory to toasted Crostini layered with honey ricotta.  Heaven on toast!

Fig Crostini

These teardrop shaped succulent fruit are coveted by many.  My fig tree is full of figs this year and we just harvested the first round of ripened fruit.  Figs aren't actually a fruit but are inverted flowers.  But technicalities aside these are some of the most popular fruit of the Mediterranean and most of the US production of figs are grown in California.

Figs have a unique taste.  Their flavor is deep and rich, and concentrated like honey.  They are sticky sweet with a jammy pulpy interior.  When eating figs you should slice off the woody stem but you can eat the thin skin and the flesh inside.  Once you have a nice ripe one you will be looking forward to fig season each year.  You will see them in stores now but, act quick as you can only get these little gems during a short window with the fall figs peaking in September.  

I'll be doing a week of fig recipes from my first batch and may throw in a couple of more in the weeks following as my remaining batches ripen.  Today's recipe isn't really a recipe at all but it is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh figs.  Toasted Crostini is topped with honey sweetened ricotta cheese and topped with slices of ripened figs, then drizzled with a little more honey on top.  The best breakfast, snack, or charcuterie items by far!  

Below I gave you the ingredients and the process.  I'll leave it up to you as to how many you make and the amount of each ingredient as this can be personalized.  Use as little or as much as you like of each ingredient.  I hope you go buy some and enjoy the treasure that is a fig.  It truly is a wonderful fruit.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Fresh figs

• Ricotta cheese - either skim or full fat work

• Honey - use your favorite kind

• Bread - You can use an Italian Country loaf or a French Baguette to make the crostini

• Olive Oil - use extra virgin for the best flavor

• Mint - optional but definitely a plus as a bright topping

Substitutions and Variations

• Cheese:  try mascarpone or even cream cheese instead of the ricotta

• Drizzle:  try a balsamic glaze instead of the honey

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Toasting the bread:  The traditional way is to rub olive oil on both sides and toast the slices in the oven until crisp.  If you don't want to do that you can follow the same process with the olive oil but toast it in a skillet on the stove.  All else fails you can use a toaster.  They all work!

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Fig Crostini

Sliced Italian Country Bread or French Baguette

Olive Oil
Honey
Ricotta Cheese
Figs
Mint (optional garnish)

Toast slices of country bread or baguette in the oven by brushing both sides with olive oil and placing them on a sheet pan.  Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Take the ricotta cheese and place in a small bowl.  Add in a small amount of honey and whip the ricotta to incorporate the honey.

Slice the figs by cutting off the stems then quartering the figs.

To assemble the Crostini:  take the Crostini and spread a good portion of honey ricotta cheese over the top.  Layer on the slices of fig, add leaves of mint as garnish if you choose, and drizzle some honey over the top.