Home Improvement

Dad was gone FUREVER at the big home improvement store.

Is that for me?

He's flat but crinkly.

And he squeeks!

 I love Menard the Monkey!

Monday Smiles

I'm Not Fat I'm Fluffy Banana Bread

I was up early to bake before it got hot out. I've been tweaking a banana bread recipe to make it (1) really low sodium < 20 mg per slice and (2) a super light fluffy texture with a crisp exterior, instead of the standard denser throughout banana bread. It took a couple of tries but this is a keeper, tasty, and moist with a wonderful light texture. I used goat milk butter and sour cream and Bob's Red Mill organic unbleached flour.

I’m Not Fat I’m Fluffy Banana Bread

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened 

1 cup white sugar. 

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (210 grams - weighing really helps) 

1 teaspoon EnerG baking soda substitute

1 ½ teaspoons Hain Sodium Free baking powder (if using regular baking powder decrease to 1 tsp)

½ teaspoon Morton salt substitute 

½ cup sour cream 

2-3 medium-sized ripe (just starting to spot/darken) bananas, mashed well (1 cup total which was 2 and 1/2 bananas) 

A couple pinches of cardamom

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C.). Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or lightly grease it with unsalted butter. 

 Cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice and mix well on low/medium speed.

 Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a separate bowl and stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Fold in mashed banana and sour cream til blended.

 Bake in preheated oven until a thin knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.