Recipies are Mere Suggestions for Your Own Artwork

***EDIT*** I forgot to add that 1/2 cup (approximately . . . I don't actually measure much when cooking) of canned pumpkin makes the Bannana Bread so much more moist and lovely!

Once a week I (try to) make a low-carb cheesecake for my desert lovin', atkins diet adhearing man. he loves desert but he also loves being not fat. so i make him high protien, low sugar cheesecake. he loves it. i don't think it is the best thing i have ever eaten, but when dieting, one must adjust their standards of tastey delights.
i make the cheesecake because i love him.
and today, i make banana bread because i love me.

i have used this recipie before. i recommend using whole wheat flour for at least half of the white flour. i have also mixed in frozen blackberries . . . that was a tastey treat. I am also posting the yummy dish we had last night. I added chicken, artichoke hearts, and toasted pine nuts. Higher in fat but also higher in protien. Portabella mushrooms would be good in this too, i bet. mmmmmm. I served it to herb w/o the pasta. and for me, whole wheat pasta. herb loved it, so i am passing it along to you!

Classic Banana Bread

From Cooking Light


We love this bread's moist texture and simple flavor. Banana bread should form a crack down the center as it bakes--a sign the baking soda is doing its job.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 1 loaf, 14 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 187(21% from fat); FAT 4.3g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 3.3g; CHOLESTEROL 40mg; CALCIUM 20mg; SODIUM 198mg; FIBER 1.1g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.4g


Roasted Red Pepper and Cream Sauce

From Cooking Light


Bottled red peppers at the base of this rich sauce deliver ample flavor and save the effort of roasting your own. Balsamic vinegar helps balance the natural sweetness of the peppers. It's also good with chicken.

1 pound uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (12-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
Thinly sliced fresh basil (optional)

Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add bell peppers; cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.

Place bell pepper mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Return bell pepper mixture to pan; cook over low heat until warm. Combine half-and-half and tomato paste in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir tomato mixture into bell pepper mixture, stirring with a whisk until well combined. Stir in ground red pepper.

Combine pasta and bell pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup cheese, tossing to coat. Spoon 1 1/3 cups pasta into each of 6 bowls; top each with about 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 424(23% from fat); FAT 10.7g (sat 5.6g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 17.6g; CHOLESTEROL 32mg; CALCIUM 222mg; SODIUM 383mg; FIBER 3g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 62.9g