Tag: Quick and Easy

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Banana Bread

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Not all banana bread is created equal. Some banana bread veers a little too healthy, resulting in a cardboard-like texture. Hard pass. This banana bread recipe, however, manages to straddle the line between delicious and healthy: it’s not too sweet or buttery, but it’s studded with dark chocolate so you’re not missing any decadence. A mix of flours keeps the texture balanced.

Ingredients:
  • 4 ripe bananas
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups oat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees and coat a 9″x5″ loaf pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas using a fork until they are the consistency of applesauce, then stir in the egg, vanilla, and maple syrup.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the banana mixture and mix until fully combined, then gently fold in the chocolate chunks and walnuts.
  4. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan, then bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the banana bread from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days or in the fridge up to 5 days.

Ma Po Tofu, Version Two

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I’m a fiend for ma po tofu. It’s easily one of my favorite Chinese dishes of all time. Actually, it’s one of my favorite dishes, period. My original version isn’t particularly authentic but is loosely adapted from one of the OGs of Chinese-American cooking, Bay Area legend Martin Yan himself.

This version, however, tastes closer to something you might find in a Sichuanese restaurant. Both are spicy, comforting, and perfect over a bowl of rice.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
  • 4 ounces ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons zha cai (preserved radish), minced
  • 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste)
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 16-ounce package silken tofu, diced into large bite-size pieces
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • Steamed rice, for serving
  1. Heat the avocado oil in a wok over high heat. When the oil is smoking hot, add the Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry for 5 seconds, until fragrant, then add the ground beef. Stir-fry and brown the beef, about 3 minutes, then add the ginger, garlic, and preserved radish to the wok.
  2. After about 1 minute, add the doubanjiang and Shaoxing wine and stir, then add the chicken stock; mixture should be saucy, like a ragu. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for 3 minutes. Add the tofu to the wok and gently stir to not break up the tofu pieces. After 4 minutes, add the green onions to the wok, gently mix, and serve warm with rice.

Arroz Rojo (Mexican Rice)

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This arroz rojo recipe couldn’t be easier to make, and it tastes like it came straight from the restaurant. Use the best-quality tomatoes you can get for this quintessential side dish, as it makes all the difference.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 cup long-grain rice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. Place stock, tomatoes, 1 clove garlic, and onion in a blender and puree until smooth. Set tomato puree aside.
  2. Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic and rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato puree, season with salt and pepper, and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, until rice is tender and has absorbed all liquid, 25-30 minutes. Gently fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Buttered Sungold Tomato Pasta

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It’s tomato season! It’s cliche, but if you have top-notch ingredients you really don’t need a whole lot else. When you get your hands on some homegrown Sungold (or similar cherry-esque) tomatoes, make this summery pasta dish. Get the best quality fresh pasta you can find too. Or better yet, make your own.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 ounces fresh tagliatelle pasta (or similar)
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 pints Sun Gold tomatoes, cut into halves, divided
  • Salt
  • 4 teaspoons butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 4 tablespoons torn or sliced basil, divided
  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add garlic cloves and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring often, until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Mix in 1 pint tomatoes, a big pinch of salt, and ¼ cup water. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst and become saucy, 6–8 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
  3. Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with tomato sauce. Add butter, fish sauce, remaining tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the basil. Using tongs or a wooden spoon, cook, stirring and adding a few tablespoonfuls of pasta cooking liquid if needed, until pasta is coated and glossy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Divide pasta among serving plates and top with more Parmesan and remaining basil. 

Seven-Layer Bean Dip

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Remember the ’90s? “Ethnic” food meant Chinese chicken salad, fajitas, and various ~pizza creations~. Everyone’s so creative!

That being said, I’m nostalgic for some of the finer culinary delights the 1990s offered us. Pasta salad, imitation crab in everything, and seven-layer bean dip should have come with us to the new millennium. Even though bean dips are not as ubiquitous as they once were, there’s no reason why you can’t easily recreate it at home. Serve this with chips and you’ll wonder why we still don’t wear hypercolor and fanny packs with everything.

Ingredients:
  • 1 15-ounce can refried beans
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup chunky salsa
  • 1 cup guacamole
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 3-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • Tortilla chips, to serve
  1. Combine beans and jalapeno and spread onto a 12-inch casserole dish. Layer the salsa, guacamole and sour cream over beans. Sprinkle with olives, cheese, tomato and green onions.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips.