Bananas and cardamom…I can think of few flavor combinations tastier than these two. Add a cup of strong coffee to the mix and you could almost call me a morning person. This cake (or should that be bread?) is best for breakfast or snacking - it’s delicious and comforting without being decadent. It also seems I’m not the only one baking healthy banana cakes this week. Lisa’s looks pretty tasty, too. And why shouldn’t we be going bananas? This fruit is one of the healthy baker’s best partners, and I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like a warm slice of banana bread for breakfast.

When I started to make this cake, I was following the recipe for Nick Malgieri’s Banana Cake from his Perfect Light Desserts… book. His recipe isn’t so much healthy as merely low-fat, so I ended up making some changes to accommodate my ingredients and to give it a smidge more nutrition. Whole wheat pastry flour and unrefined sugar bring the health content up a notch, and if you use a darker unrefined sugar like Muscovado, the cake will have a richer, more molasses-y flavor. An optional addition is 1/4 cup of flax seeds (or ground flax meal), which will add nutritional value without making it taste like a “diet” cake.

Since this cake is low in butter, it’s best eaten the day it is made and will not keep for very long. If you want to keep it longer than a day or two, wrap it in plastic and put it in the freezer once it has fully cooled from the oven. Let it thaw at room temperature or in the microwave on a low setting.

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Baking | 10 Comments »

I was going to introduce this soup by talking about how I made it during this past cold and snowy weekend, and while Pittsburgh’s crazy climate has become far less wanting of comfort food now that today is a beautiful and springlike 60 degrees F, hot soup can still be worthwhile in warm weather…

Then I realized, For Pete’s sake, all I can manage to talk about today is the weather? Boy have I gotten boring with age.

So, I’ll let the soup speak for itself, and perhaps it will inspire you thanks to the salty richness of pancetta, silky green chard, and a broth that begs for hot Italian bread to be dunked in its depths. Also, the type of beans you use is a matter of taste and/or convenience. Cannellini beans would be truer to the soup’s Tuscan roots, but I used chickpeas this time around (mainly because my pantry seems to have a never-ending supply). Either way, it is delicious and perfect for a light, satisfying dinner. You can even make it a day ahead, since the flavor, unlike some other things around here, becomes deeper and more complex with time. ;)

White Bean, Pancetta, and Swiss Chard Soup
Adapted from Gourmet, January 2004

2 15-oz cans cannellini beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 lb sliced pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups chicken stock or broth (one 32 oz carton)
3 cups water
1 3-inch piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
1 bay leaf
1/2 lb Swiss chard, stems removed and sliced thinly
1 teaspoon salt

lots of freshly ground pepper to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano or other salty cheese for serving

Cook pancetta in olive oil in a large 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer pancetta with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Add onion to remaining oil and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute. Add beans, chicken broth, water, cheese rind, bay leaf, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Some people may wish to discard the cheese rind but a friend of mine pointed out that this is unnecessary. Give it to your household cheese fiend to nibble!

Stir in Swiss chard and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with a few bits of crisp pancetta and grated cheese.

Soups & Stews | 1 Comment »