AFTER SCHOOL BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP CHUNKERS

I always buy a bundle of bananas at the market, only 1 of 4 of us actually snacks on a banana, which leaves lots of moments of overripe bananas that are too ripe for snacking but perfect for baking. 4 of 4 like the baked goods with the bananas. You’re welcome for my elementary math equation proving it is in fact, worth buying the bananas.

These are my favorite sorts of treats to make for and with the kids. Everything mashes up in one bowl, they’re easy on the sugar, packs in a lunchbox and they are free of the glutens and dairy so any person that comes over with a dietary preference, has a snack. I know when we’ve made them a dozen times, they are worth sharing here, so hope you have bananas ready to go soon (extra extra brown! don’t bother if they are pretty and yellow!). xo

AFTER SCHOOL BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP CHUNKERS

Makes 12

Gluten free, dairy free and honestly, you can skip the egg if you need to and I believe they’ll still hold. I’ve been making these when I have dead bananas, but banana bread feels like too much. A tray of these will be gone before the end of the day and they hold up in a lunch box too.

Nut allergy folks, all-purpose flour is fine. Replace the almond and coconut flours with 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour. They will look different than what is pictured. The flax does help absorb some extra moisture, and you can pick that up and nearly any supermarket these days.

Recipe riffed from Joy the Baker

2 overripe, medium bananas (about 1 cup)
1 egg
4 Tbsp. coconut oil or warmed butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
big pinch of salt

1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
2 Tbsp. flax meal
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Into a mixing bowl, smash up the bananas super well, we don’t want big chunks left. Add in the egg, oil or butter, sugar, vanilla , cinnamon, salt and whisk everything together to mix. Add the almond flour, oats, flax, coconut flour, baking powder and stir again to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 360’ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. I make ours free-formed, not perfect balls 1) because they are tough to get into a ball and 2) I like those craggle edges! We want about 2-3 Tbsp. sized lumps, arranged with 2” of space between (they don’t spread much). Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes until toasty on the edges, but still tender in the center. Remove to cool.

Keep the cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up for 3 days, and in the fridge any longer than that.

Sara Forte 2022-02-22

After School Banana Chocolate Chip Chunkers

15

These are my favorite sorts of treats to make for and with the kids. Everything mashes up in one bowl, they’re easy on the sugar, packs in a lunchbox and they are free of the glutens and dairy so any person that comes over with a dietary preference, has a snack.

• 2 medium bananas
• 1 egg
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 Tbsp. flax meal
• 3 Tbsp. coconut flour

125 calories9 grams fat1 grams satFat0 grams transFat10 grams carbohydrate5 grams sugar2 grams fiber8 grams netCarbs3 grams protein

2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Into a mixing bowl, smash up the bananas super well, we don’t want big chunks left. Add in the egg, oil or butter, sugar, vanilla , cinnamon, salt and whisk everything together to mix. Add the almond flour, oats, flax, coconut flour, baking powder and stir again to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 360’ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. I make ours free-formed, not perfect balls 1) because they are tough to get into a ball and 2) I like those craggle edges! We want about 2-3 Tbsp. sized lumps, arranged with 2” of space between (they don’t spread much). Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes until toasty on the edges, but still tender in the center. Remove to cool.

Keep the cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up for 3 days, and in the fridge any longer than that.

PT15M

PT15M

PT1H

American

Snack

snack, chocolate, gluten free, dairy free, kid friendly, lunchbox

EGGPLANT + TOFU WITH SWEET-HOT CHILI GLAZE

Dinner seems so hard sometimes. I cook for SKCC during the day, so we have wonderful lunches, and obviously there are leftovers, but that leaves me not following my own advice as far as having a plan for dinner most nights. Ironic isn’t it? I have plans for lunch, we rotate the same few things for breakfast, but why does everyone eat so often? I have so so many cookbooks, and always turn there when inspiration eludes me. I’ll add a short list here, should you need some new ideas yourself. My family is not vegetarian, but we try to eat vegetarian meals often. The list below (amazon affiliated) includes both omnivorous and vegetarian authors from books (not new!) I’ve been turning to for inspiration lately:

Anna Jones (vegetarian, more carb heavy but simple, she has a few great ones!)

Green Kitchen Stories (strong vegetarian meals, colorful and present well)

Six Seasons (new ideas and combinations, but not fussy. Great side ideas)

At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen (a cornerstone, easy to change ingredients by season, very “healthy”)

Canelle et Vanille (Aran’s photos are transcendent and romantic and her food is delicious. All GF)

Super Natural Everyday (my favorite of Heidi’s, great vegetarian meals and wholesome snack and breakfast ideas)

Salt Fat Acid Heat (for when I have lots of ingredients, but no ideas. Not a cookbook per se, but gets my mind going)

Mandy’s Gourmet Salads (mostly for me, but they are sturdy salads when I can pull things out easily for the kids)

The recipe here is from the beloved Jenny Rosenstrach of Dinner, A Love Story. Her recipes are quintessential family dinner type of cooking. Easy to find ingredients, not overly fussy, likeable for adults and kids. While it may not be what you’d pull out for entertaining or something unique, it is dependable and practical, which is what we all need most nights. I have tried her brothy beans and this dish below and both were hits! Look forward to pulling from this for quick weeknight meals.

EGGPLANT + TOFU WITH SWEET HOT CHILI GLAZE // Serves 4

This was so delicious with all that sauce! I put mine in a lettuce wrap to get more greens in, or could see it with some thinly sliced cabbage.

Recipe from Weekday Vegetarians By Jenny Rosenstrach
(I reduced the amount of oil to personal preference)

1 15 oz. block of extra-firm tofu, pressed, drained and cubed
1/4 cup avocado or olive oil
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot
1 lb. eggplants, preferably graffiti, cubed
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup sweet-hot-chili glaze*

4 cups cooked rice

FOR SERVING

cilantro, sliced radishes, scallions, toasted cashews

Preheat the oven to 425’. Arrange one rack on the top rack and one on the middle. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment.

In a large bowl, toss the tofu cubes with half of both oils, soy sauce, cornstarch. Use a slotted spoon, place the tofu on one of the prepared pans.

In the same bowl, add the remaining oil and the eggplant, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place the eggplant on the other sheetpan.

Place the tofu on the top rack of the oven and eggplant on the middle rack. Bake until the tofu looks crispy and golden, 20 minutes. Remove the tofu to a shallow serving bowl, move the eggplant to the top rack and continue to roast another 10 minutes until golden.

Remove the eggplant and transfer it to the dish with the tofu. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the glaze over the tofu-eggplant mixture and gently toss to coat.

Serve over rice with desired garnishes.

SWEET HOT CHILI GLAZE

3 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as cholula or Pete’s)
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter (or vegan alternative, we love Miyokos)
fresh black pepper

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the chili sauce, honey, brown sugar, pinch of salt and simmer until the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove the pan from the heat and while the mixture is hot, whisk in the butter to thicken the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

ZHOUG SAUCE

I love love Trader Joes Zhoug sauce and we use it often, but I’m trying to reduce our single use packaging, and this is way better anyway. I finally have notes down so we can make and gift it on our own. I have written about 3 dozen green sauce-ish recipes here, SK Cooking Club etc. - each a little bit different. This one, heavy on the heat and herbs, and a few warm spices. Because it is so warm, I think of it like a concentrate instead of just straight up (ie. putting a dollop in salad dressing or mashing with avocado). Adding just a pinch of sugar and squeeze of lime to balance it. Zhoug is of Yemenite origin, and usually found on tables in Syria and Israel. It truly boosts anything and will certainly be a go-to summer condiment for salads and flatbread and grilled items.

---

Uses

• Stir a spoonful into a salad dressing

• Mix with plain Greek yogurt to make a dip

• With avocado toast

• As a protein marinade for any meat, often mixed with some toasted sesame oil and citrus for meat and chicken, or painted on seafood after grilling.

• Cucumber salad with this, a splash of champagne vinegar, tons of dill, shaved red onion

• Egg sandwich spread

• Grilled corn

• Pasta salad with lots of grilled zucchini, more herbs, baby tomatoes, feta cheese

If you make it, leave a comment about how you used it!

---

ZHOUG SAUCE

Makes about 10 oz.

You can use a bit more oil if you’d like a thinner yet richer sauce, something closer to traditional Italian pesto. The below will be very herb heavy, as I prefer it this way so it can be thinned with citrus for dressings, marinades, smashed with avocado and the like. It will separate a bit which is absolutely fine and expected.

The sauce will last for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Getting spicier as it sits so heads up!

Riffed from both Ottolenghi and Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic
3 jalapenos, stemmed, partially seeded and chopped
1 bundle of parsley (1 packed cup)
1 bundle cilantro (1 packed cup)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
dash of cayenne
1/2 tsp. cardamom
pinch of sugar
3/4 tsp. sea salt
squeeze of lime

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed

Directions

Put the garlic and jalapenos in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. Add the parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cardamom, sugar, salt and lime juice and pulse a few more times. With the motor going, drizzle in the oil, scrapping down the sides to get an even, smooth sauce (still a little chunky tho).

Taste for salt and seasonings. You can always add more cayenne if needed but it will get spicier as it ages.