Green Penny Pincher

Once again, I found myself with too many frozen/overripe bananas.  Last time I attempted a new recipe, Toddler Muffins, with some success – they were good, but not so wonderful that I just HAD to make them again.  Even though in actuality it probably takes the same amount of time and effort, I just wasn’t “feeling” baking bread in this weather.  I came across this recipe for Banana Cookies and stumbled upon a suggestion of biscotti in the comments.

BISCOTTI.  Long adored, never made.   I am an expert at eating it; surely it couldn’t be that hard to make, right?

Chocolate Banana Coconut Almond Biscotti

I followed the posted recipe for the most part, but added in about 3/4 c. (too much) sweetened, flaked coconut, and sliced almonds for the nuts.  The additional of the coconut made the dough – already very stiff – too dry, so I tossed in a few ounces of apple juice, as that was the first thing I saw when I opened the fridge.

For those of you who are not familiar, baking biscotti is a 2-part process:  you bake the loaf, slice it, then re-bake the slices so they are hard and well-equipped to stand up to a dunking in coffee or tea or what-have-you.  Having completed the first step, I proceeded to “frost” the top of the loaf with melted semi-sweet chocolate chips (and a smidge of oil to make it spreadable.) and let it harden.

And then I looked at my beautifully frosted loaf and thought, “Boy, am I dumb.” HOW was I going to RE-BAKE the slices if they already were frosted?

The answer was: very carefully.  If I had used anything softer than the semi-sweets and that smidge of oil to frost them, this would NOT have worked, but as it was they held up fairly well to being re-baked, aside from landslides of almond slices which I shimmied back on while they were still warm.

Verdict?  Yummy, but kind of disappointing in that they were missing the moist delectability of fresh-baked banana bread.  I foresee another venture into biscotti-making in my future – maybe for the holidays – but I think next time I have to use up the bananas, I’m just going to bake some stinkin’ bread.

I found myself with over a dozen eggs in the fridge this morning and they were taking up a lot of room.  In addition, I’m tired of washing the frying pan every time I  (or Mr. GPP or Adventure-Boy) want eggs.  So this morning I whipped up this super-easy, much-loved recipe from my mom for an egg casserole and thought I’d share.  It tastes great, is versatile (mix in whatever you like!) and freezes well.  Did I mention easy? This is Mom’s recipe – my changes (of the day) follow:

Egg & Cheese Casserole

• 2 c. Seasoned croutons (any kind)
• 8 oz. Shredded cheddar
• 2 oz. Bacon bits or chopped cooked bacon
• 8-10 Eggs, beaten, with
• 2 cups milk
• Garlic powder
• Onion flakes
• 1 can Sliced stewed tomatoes, well drainedItalian seasoning

Spread croutons in an even layer across bottom of pan. Spread cheese evenly on top. Sprinkle bacon bits. Pour egg mixture over all. You can add more eggs to make more servings. Place stewed tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Delish!

I had about 1/2 bag of Trader Joe’s frozen asparagus in my freezer, so I defrosted that and chopped it up (if I wasn’t trying to hide it from Adventure-Boy, I would have left it in long pieces).  I also had about 1/4 of a ham-steak that I chopped up instead of bacon. (I’ve made this without any meat for vegetarians and it is GREAT).  I use a little less cheese to keep it light, and I always use a sharp cheddar to make up for that.  I used 2% milk because that is what we have, but I have made it with skim milk no problem.  (Not sure about soy milk but it should be fine.) Every time I make this, it’s a little different, depending on what I have on-hand. In my opinion, though, the stewed tomatoes are a necessity, and when I have enough I actually prefer two cans. This is super-filling, super-easy, and, I think, tastier than a quiche.  The croutons on the bottom of the pan make their own crust. It’s rainy and chilly out today, so active garden work is put on hold but those seeds are out there sprouting as we speak!  Can’t wait for summer to make my own stewed tomatoes!

Read more about eggs, including history, trivia, nutritional/safety info, and recipes at  IncredibleEgg.org and eggnutritioncenter.org.

*** I’m headed out for the weekend to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world – my best college friends – so I probably won’t be back until next week.  Have a FAN TASTIC weekend and do something fun outdoors to celebrate Earth Day! ***

Quinoa (“Keen-wah”) is an ancient food – technically, a seed, not a grain – which has been cultivated in South American Andes since at least 3,000 B.C.  but has just recently become recognized in modern Western culture.  The ancient Incas called quinoa the “mother grain” and revered it as a sacred and staple food.

There are over 120 species of quinoa, but three main varieties: white, red, and black quinoa.  Quinoa seeds are flat with a pointed oval shape.  As they cook, the outer germ twists open, creating a spiral.

Quinoa is high in protein, calcium and iron, as well as  vitamin E and some B vitamins. It is also a great source of amino acids, including lysine, cystine and methionine – amino acids typically low in other grains.  Quinoa is considered to be a complete protein containing all 8 essential amino acids.  Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein!  About 1/2-cup of quinoa is enough to provide the required protein for a child for an entire day.  Quinoa also contains albumen, normally  found in egg whites, blood serum, and many plant and animal tissues, and can be a great addition to a vegan diet (or any diet!)  Quinoa is GLUTEN-FREE.

Quinoa must be rinsed before preparing in order to remove the saponin, which makes it taste bitter and sudsy (don’t throw away this water – read on through the article to find out about its uses!)

The texture of cooked quinoa is soft but crunchy, and the flavor is mild and slightly nutty.  It easily absorbs and mingles with other flavors in many recipes.  The leaves are also edible, though I have never had the pleasure of eating a quinoa leaf salad.  Cooked quinoa is excellent prepared as you would a grain, either in hot soups and stews, or casserole dishes, or cold in salads similar to tabbouleh.  Quinoa cooks quickly, in about 15 minutes.  It can be toasted, and made into cereal or flour, and from there has many applications.

Store quinoa in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a year.

In South America the saponin which is removed from the quinoa is used as detergent for washing clothes and as an antiseptic to promote healing of skin injuries.  And Crunchy Betty has an AWESOME suggestion for that rinse-water!

Read more about this wonder-seed, or read on for my favorite way to eat quinoa, passed down from a friend of a mom of a friend….

Quinoa and Pecan with dried Cranberry Salad

Add 1 ½ cups of quinoa to 3 ½ boiling water, lower heat and simmer covered for about 25 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with fork. Cool.

Put in large bowl and add:

• 2 bunches of green onions finely sliced
• 1 cup of dried cranberries diced
• 2/3 cup cilantro finely chopped  (If making ahead,  don’t put this in until close to serving)
• 1 ½ cups celery finely diced
• 1 ½ pecans coarsely chopped

Toss and then add dressing made with:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinigar
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

I like the taste of this dressing and often make/add extra.