Going Bananas

I have always been in the habit of tossing my overripe bananas in the freezer and then baking banana bread when I had a stash. My freezer was kind of going bananas when I found this recipe for banana cake with cream cheese frosting on pinterest. I didn't have nuts for the top but it was great without them.

My version doesn't look so pretty but it was delicious! I recommend this recipe for its ease and yumminess. I made this for my small group Bible study last week and the ladies loved it. Don't get lazy and use the canned cream cheese frosting. This is the real deal and took less than 2 minutes to make. It also ups the flavor factor.

I have also been trying to serve alternative healthy snacks, too. I picked up some strawberries and clementines on sale and then just tossed them with whatever I had in the cupboard for an on-the-fly fruit salad. In this case, it was just coconut and raisins. It contains no sugar or sugar substitute. The trick to its deliciousness was letting it sit in the fridge for a day and allowing the natural sweetness of the coconut and raisins to sweeten the berries.

 

It is a bit of a challenge to think of something to serve people each week that is quick, not costly, or bad for you. I abhor supermarket, packaged sweets because they are loaded with preservatives and all sorts of junk that I wouldn't even feed my dogs! 

At least if we are going to eat something sweet, I know the ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Not a bunch of gums and extracts I can't pronounce. Besides, have you ever had a leftover supermarket cupcake or cake? You can eat that stuff, like 30 days later (I know, but I did. LOL!) It is indestructible. All I can say is, that can't be good!

I have shared before that I am on a journey of learning and understanding where our modern-day food is coming from. In this light, I recommend  Heritage Radio Network. I found this fun source through an organization called the Greenhorns, a group of under 40 farmers. There are so many excellent programs you can choose from. I am a bit of a cheese whore, so I have been listening to Cutting the Curd, hosted by Anne Saxelby. Enjoying myself immensely. 

Last night I listened to a program on the adulterated olive oil market. I highly recommend you check out the site and listen to this program because this is just one more area the U.S. consumer is getting ripped off on. And I'll leave you with this little tidbit, did you know there are more than 700 varieties of olives? Me neither! Seems like olives are a bit like wine--regions, varities, and production have a lot to do with the finished project. Sometimes a little education can go a long way, just have fun with it.