Sweet & Natural Banana Bread

Banana Bread
from Sweet and Natural by Meredith McCarty

• 1 1/2 Cup flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 Cup ripe bananas 2-3 bananas (blend with oil or soymilk)

• 1/4 Cup olive oil

• 1/4 Cup plus 2 T. maple syrup (optional)

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 1/4 tsp citrus zest (lemon, lime, or orange)

• 2 T to 2/3 Cup soy milk (sweetner free add more) or add another banana

Bake in oven 350 degrees 45-60 minutes

Do not overmix

Flourless Chocolate cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan


• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate)


• 6 large egg yolks


• 6 large egg whites


• 1/2 cup granulated sugar


• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
  
  Preheat oven to 275 degrees; with rack in center. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Place butter and chocolate in a large bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted; cool slightly. Whisk in yolks.
  In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Whisk 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold mixture into remaining whites.
  Pour into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and is just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

from http://www.marthastewart.com/.

* Dairy free flourless chocolate cake:

I have a daughter with a dairy allergy and a wheat sensitive nephew. I use Earth Balance(a great non-hydrogenated, non-GMO butter substitute) for the butter and ghirardelli chocolate and it makes a great dessert everyone can enjoy. It's easy to have all of these ingredients on hand.

* The spring form pan is a good idea for this cake as you need fairly high sides to prevent it from over flowing in the oven.