I’ve been on a bit of a baking bender the past few weeks, as evidenced by the overwhelming dominance of cookie recipes that I seem to feel compelled to share.  It’s just that when there’s stress in my life... I turn to butter.  I mean, I turn to butter anyway.  But when I’m stressed... well, forget about it.

Mack’s had a really tough week, and Noa’s little busy bone is emerging.  All waking moments must be spent actively cruising to and/or chewing on the object that catches her eye.  It’s so much fun, but man am I tired!  We have a house full of teeny tiny toys now and everywhere I turn there is something dangerous in her path.  Seriously, I don’t know how people manage more than two.  This life is CRAZY!  My “no drinking during the week” program is out the door too.  Rules are made to be broken, right?

Ok, back to the food. Though I find myself baking more than usual, I am actually making other food, too.  Soups are taking center stage lately because it’s such an easy dinner to get to the table, and my goal is to begin baking fresh bread to break with those soups. 

I have been feeling a creative lull so I turn back to steaming veg when I need to just take a break.  I have been simply steaming all mode of vegetable that doesn’t end up in the stock pot... and lunch easily becomes a plate full of good colorful food with very little effort.  Not long in the excitement department but I am fed, and that’s always a good thing.  My favorite combo of the moment is steamed broccoli, fresh carrot sticks, strawberries and avocado, drizzled with walnut oil and sprinkled with salted sunflower seeds.  Nom!  (And a side of bleu cheese dressing to dip the broc and carrots in is pretty fantastic too.).

The banana bread happened because all necessary ingredients were in the house, and I really wanted to make something for Mack that wasn’t his standard yogurt-and-toast breakfast in the morning.  I used the lovely Banana Cake recipe from Breakfast, Lunch, Tea as a launching point and beefed it up with extra goodness in the form of oats, flax seed and wheat germ.  Mack happily devoured the first loaf along with the rest of us, and the second loaf went into the freezer for consumption at a later date...

BANANA BREAD (adapted from Breakfast, Lunch, Tea by Rose Carrarini)

Makes 2 loaves.

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

• 1 cup organic sugar

• 3 eggs

• 3 bananas (about 12 oz total weight), mashed, plus one banana sliced thinly

• 1/2 cup buttermilk, or a mixture of milk and yogurt (I used whole milk with half a lemon squeezed into it)

• 1 heaped tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 and 1/2 cup flour

• 1/2 cup rolled oats

• 1/2 cup wheat germ

• 1/4 flax seeds

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and two 10-inch loaf pans and line the base with parchment paper.  Butter the parchment again and dust with flour. 

Beat the butter and sugar until they are light and creamy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Mix in the bananas and the milk mixture.  In another bowl, mix together the baking soda, salt, flour, oats, wheat germ and flax seeds and gently mix into the wet ingredients.  Add the walnuts by folding them in gently.

Spoon into the prepared tins and place the banana sliced decoratively on top. 

Bake for about 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the pan before taking it out.