Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Banana bread is one of my all-time favorite treats. I like my banana bread to eat more like a cake, rather than bread - makes it feel so much more indulgent - and I hope you feel the same way.

And, it’s dairy-free and gluten-free.

AND, it’s been taste-tested and approved by hungry brunch friends.

ANNND, I’ve decided to add this to the cookbook. Yep, I’m that generous.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this chocolate chip banana bread:

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil + a little extra to grease bread tin

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 2 eggs

• 3-4 medium-sized very ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/4 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 cup almond flour

• 3/4 cup oat flour

• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick cook), plus more to sprinkle on top

• 1/4-1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or chocolate chips of your choice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a bread tin with enough coconut oil to coat the entire tin, including the sides! I usually melt about a teaspoon of coconut oil, pour into the tin, and spread with a paper towel.

In a large bowl, whisk melted coconut oil and maple syrup until combined. Add eggs, and whisk again until combined. Add in bananas, milk, baking soda, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon, and whisk until completely combined.

Add almond and oat flours, as well as oats, and using a spatula, carefully fold mixture together until all ingredients are incorporated. Add in chocolate chips, and fold again with a spatula until the chips are dispersed throughout the mixture evenly.

Pour batter into the greased bread tin. Even out the top with the spatula and bang the tin (gently) on the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle the top with some extra oats.

Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, until the middle is set and a toothpick/knife dipped in comes out clean. The edges of the bread will brown before the middle, so don’t worry. Let bread cool slightly before taking out of the bread tin.

Better-Than-Ever Avocado Brownies

As the #howtoadult cookbook slowly comes to life, I’ve been revisiting my recipes. Not only do they need to be delicious, but they need to be simple - no special ingredients you have to run to 3 different stores for, no complicated equipment, no fuss.

These brownies were an obvious shoe-in. If you’ve been following along over the years, you know I love taking traditional dishes, from dinners to desserts, to the healthier end of the spectrum. I also tend to keep my recipes dairy-free, and as of recently, many of my recipes are gluten-free to accommodate those who are gluten-sensitive.

While the original recipe is great, why not try to improve it? I was able to reduce the amount of sugar and provide a gluten-free option without sacrificing taste nor that fudge-y texture we all know and love in traditional brownies.

These brownies use avocado as the primary source of fat (instead of butter), dark chocolate and maple syrup for sweetness (instead of refined sugar), ingredients you can find in any grocery store, and best yet, you only need one large mixing bowl.

Here’s what you’ll need to make my improved Avocado Brownies:

• 1 large avocado, mashed

• 1 3.5-oz bar of dark chocolate (preferably 70% cacao or higher), melted

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1/3 cup oat flour (or flour of your choice; oat flour is preferred & not difficult to find)

• 1/4 cup cocoa

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp coconut oil, melted, for baking pan

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl, mash avocado and add in melted chocolate, eggs, vanilla and maple syrup. Whisk until completely combined - you may still see some avocado pieces and that’s OK.

In the same bowl, add in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Using a spatula, mix slowly to prevent flour and cocoa from escaping the bowl. The mixture will be thick. Make sure you scrape all flour and cocoa off the sides of the bowl so the mixture is thoroughly combined.

In an 8x8 baking dish, pour coconut oil and spread evenly around the dish with a paper towel, including the sides. Pour in batter and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the middle is set. You can test with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.

Black Sesame & Tahini Bread For The Win

I'm probably not the only one whose Instagram feed is mostly food, and it's honestly where I get a lot of inspiration for weeknight meals, weekend baking projects, and all the snacks in between. 

I'm such a sucker for banana bread, but when I saw this swirled sesame tea cake... mind. blown. First, it's gorgeous. And second, it utilizes an ingredient that I usually have in my fridge but I almost never use!

Tahini is ground sesame, this beautiful light golden paste that's nutty and savory. It's also one of the main ingredients in hummus, giving it it's rich flavor.

If you've read any of my blog posts or Instagram posts, you know I'm impatient and can't be bothered with all the extra bowls & baking steps. And so, this version of this bread was born!

Here's what you need to make my Black Sesame & Tahini Bread (makes one 8 1/2"x4 1/2" loaf):

Dry:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat (or AP) flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger

Wet:

• 1/2 cup coconut (or full fat Greek) yogurt
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Other:

• Black sesame seeds for sprinkling
• Ghee (or nonstick oil spray) for pan

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Coat bread loaf pan with nonstick oil spray OR thin layer of ghee. Then, line pan with parchment paper, so that paper comes up above the sides of the pan. Once more, coat parchment paper with nonstick spray OR thin layer of ghee. Sprinkle sesame seeds and sugar to coat parchment liner, tapping to evenly coat pan liner. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, combine yogurt and tahini. It might separate a little bit, but mix it until it's thoroughly combined. 

In another large mixing bowl, with a hand mixer (or standing mixer if you have one), beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until pale in color and thickened. Add in olive oil and sesame oil and beat until thoroughly combined.

Add dry ingredients and yogurt & tahini mixture alternately to the bowl with the wet ingredients (sugar, eggs, and vanilla)—dry, then yogurt & tahini mixture, then dry, then mixture, ending with dry.

Pour batter into the bread loaf pan, and sprinkle the top with more sesame seeds and sugar.

Bake for 55-65 minutes, until golden brown and no longer gooey in the center. Lift parchment & bread together out of the pan to allow to cool.

Serve warm topped with coconut yogurt & berries, or slathered with almond butter, or grab a slice straight out of the bread loaf pan (go ahead, no one's judging).

Adapted from bon appetit's swirled sesame tea cake.

Cookies for breakfast, dessert, and anything in between!

I don't make cookies often. Not only because I find them a bit tedious to make, but also because they tend to have a lot of sugar and require butter to get that perfect cookie-texture.

But, I'm always trying to find a great dairy-free cookie, and I think I've come close to one of my favorites.

What you'll need to make Chocolate Chunk Cookies - makes 20-30 cookies:

Dry ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick-cook)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Wet ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 organic cane sugar
• 1/4 maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Other:

• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate bar of your choice (I used sea salt + almond) - I looove using bars instead of chips because you tend to get larger pieces of chocolate and you can add a variety of flavor to whatever you're making!

In a medium mixing bowl, thoroughly combine dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, using a spatula to make sure all dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet. You'll get a sticky, caramel-colored dough. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chunks. Cover the bowl and set aside on the counter for 10-15 minutes - this will allow dough to come together and not be as sticky when you form the cookies! At this point, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a TBS measure, scoop 1 TBS dough on to baking sheet and press down with your fingers to flatten into disc (tip: spray the TBS measure with non-stick cooking spray so the dough doesn't stick!). Repeat until you're out of dough. These cookies won't spread, so you can keep them pretty close together.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden. Transfer to plate or cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before storing, or be like me and grab one hot out of the oven and pretend you don't burn your mouth...

Sit back and treat yourself this Sunday with a large mug of coffee and one of these delicious cookies!

Do you like chocolate?

I thought so!

If you like decadent desserts without all of the decadent ingredients, then these brownies are the perfect treat for you. 

Make these for your family holiday party, your friend's potluck, or your amazing co-workers who just love a mid-week treat!

I should be honest though... these brownies have avocado in them. Yeah, I said it. Avocado. Its mild flavor and high (good) fat content make it the perfect butter/oil substitute. It also gives these brownies a rich, velvety texture. Win/Win/Win.

Avocado Brownies - makes 9-12 square brownies, or 6-8 muffin-sized brownies:

• 1 large avocado, mashed
• 1 3-4oz dark chocolate bar, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup flour (any kind you want)
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, mix avocado, chocolate, eggs, vanilla, and maple syrup and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add in flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and mix until dry ingredients are completely combined with wet ingredients. The mixture will be thick. 

Spray an 8x8 brownie pan with non-stick spray. Pour batter in to pan and spread evenly. If using muffin tins, fill each cup until mostly full. Bake for 30 minutes, or until middle of brownie pan (or muffins) are set and firm.

Let cool before cutting and removing from pan.


What a delicious year 2015 has been! I can't wait to see what 2016 has to offer. Thanks for following along with my food + life adventures. Warmest wishes for a happy and healthy New Year, fellow foodies!

Learning to Balance

When I was looking for an apartment, my non-negotiable was a decent-sized kitchen. I ended up with an amazing kitchen, which for the past four months, has been used mainly to heat up leftovers, cook Sunday brunch, and bake the occasional batch of brownies. Whenever I'm in my kitchen not cooking, I feel a pang of guilt: what is this kitchen doing here if I'm not going to be spending my free time cooking, taking awesome pictures, and then posting here for you all to learn new recipes?

But then I attempt to justify: Nina, you just moved into one of the most amazing cities in the country, so why would you spend all of your free time inside when there's so much to explore (and eat)!?

So herein lies my dilemma. As much as I enjoy grocery shopping at local markets and cooking up fun and interesting meals for myself, I also enjoy wandering around my new neighborhood(s) and sampling the amazing food they have to offer.

While I may feel guilty for not cooking as much as I used to, and for not posting here as much as I would like to, I shouldn't feel guilty for embracing my new home. 

Here is my confession to all of you: I, Nina, do not usually cook dinner. I like to eat leftovers from work, often having the same meal twice in one day. I like to go out to dinner, and brunch, and cocktails, and I unapologetically enjoy every single minute of it.

I know that eventually, I'll find the balance that's right for me, and for this blog. But for now, dinner will sometimes look like the above (I mean, who wouldn't want that!?), and sometimes, groceries will consist of a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, two bars of chocolate and a bottle of $5 wine.

This is only the beginning of my adventure and while I have lots of BK terrain to cover this summer, my love for cooking will still prevail.

New Beginnings for a New Year

Do you notice anything different? Look up! One of my super talented friends, Grace, designed this logo especially for Nina Knows Food. I am thrilled with her beautiful interpretation of my passion for cooking and eating. I am also SO honored to display her work. Now I can move into the New Year with a new look to the blog, among other things!

The past two months have seen one BIG move, two major holidays, lots of cooking, and even more eating. My new kitchen has yet to be used to cook a real meal, but lots of delicious food was cooked in my family's home kitchen.

Thanksgiving is a time for my mom and I to bounce ideas off each other about how to make the meal even better than last year's. We stick with the classics, turkey and stuffing being two of them. Stuffing that does not fit into the bird goes into muffin tins to make what we call stuffin' muffins. For those who like their stuffing a little crunchy, these muffins are perfect.

Green beans with ginger and garlic was added to our menu last Thanksgiving, and made a repeat appearance this year because they're just so darn tasty. Thanksgiving foods are very savory and these green beans add a much-needed crunch and spice to the meal. My apple cake with lemon and ginger will always make an appearance - everyone knows to save room for dessert.

My leftover sandwich, piled high with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, spinach, guacamole and goat cheese, was one of the best things I have ever eaten. Ever. 

Chanukah came and went, but the lingering smell of sizzling latkes stayed for weeks. I learned how my mom makes latkes, and now I'm confident I'll be able to take on the task. Needless to say, I don't really want to eat another latke until next Chanukah.

My family does not celebrate Christmas, but that doesn't mean we won't help others celebrate! Chocolate-covered strawberries are WAY easier than you might think and they make a gorgeous gift to bring over to any holiday party.

Over a double boiler, melt dark chocolate chips (1/3 - 1/2 bag) with 1 TBS Crisco - this makes the chocolate shiny and smooth. Once melted, dip strawberries and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cool overnight, or at least for a few hours, to let the chocolate set. Repeat with the remainder of the chocolate, depending on how much fruit you have to dip.

You can use this chocolate to dip any kind of fruit or treat! I added Chanukah-themed sprinkles to our strawberries above because, well, why not?

I'm looking forward to more sunrises from my apartment window and more amazing meals to share with all of you. Cheers to the happiest and healthiest New Year yet!

Reflections

It feels like I blinked and the trees went from lush green to tinged with yellow and orange, and the air shifted from hot to cool and crisp. Sweaters and boots and apples, oh my!

The last two months were a whirlwind, barely leaving me time to get to the gym, let alone spend time creating delicious treats in the kitchen. Things are settling down - kind of - so I'm taking this opportunity to reflect on the end of summer and the beginning of fall. What better way to do this than through pictures? Make sure to check out the comments in each picture - there may be a quick recipe hiding there!

My first lobster roll on Fire Island was a delicious success!

I was so excited to get my hands on a fresh coconut finally at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg, BK, NY!

Exploring Madison Square Eats - Spicy Pork Bibimbap left my mouth on fire, but so worth it

The easiest pancakes you'll EVER make: 1 banana (mashed), 1 egg, 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, splash of vanilla, and a splash of (almond) milk; mix well in a bowl; heat griddle on low-medium heat and cook pancakes until no longer liquid on the inside; high protein, high fiber, low effort!

The famous apple cake, the first one of the year! Head over to www.smittenkitchen.com and look for Mom's Apple Cake. My only variation was to add the zest of 1 lemon and 1-2 TBS fresh grated ginger to the batter.

Brunchin' in Gloucester, MA at Sugar Magnolia's. That's multi-grain bread with egg, arugula, goat cheese and fig preserves. I definitely have to re-create this masterpiece.

The Blue Stone Pizzeria in Waterbury, VT. Local beer, local produce, fresh wood-fired pizza... perfection. There's three different kinds of mushrooms, local goat cheese and basil on that glorious pizza! Switchback to wash it all down.

Unbelievably spoiled and grateful to have eaten at The Hen of the Wood in Burlington, VT. This was only a portion of the meal: grilled octopus, romaine salad with sheep's milk pecorino, radishes, and a walnut vinaigrette. If you have the chance to go, GO!

Visiting the new tasting room at Switchback Brewery. We were told to sample from the bottom of the state to the top: the classic Switchback Unfiltered Ale, a new Brown Ale, a new Citra Pils, and a Roasted Red Ale. The classic will always be my favorite.

Spent my last few hours in Vermont walking and taking in the foliage with one of my closest friends, Sara. It looks like a candy bowl of leaves!

Feeling thankful for the food, the friends, and the family during the shift of the seasons.

End-of-Summer Blueberry Tart

If you love blueberries as much as I do, then this tart will knock your socks off. Every bite is saturated with bursting blueberries and flaky, sweet crust.

Inspired by the lovely Baer family recipe, I made this tart my own by removing the dairy- and gluten-filled ingredients and making my own additions and substitutions.

Here's what you'll need to make one beautiful tart (serves 8-10):

• 9" or 10" springform pan (these have removable centers)
• Crust:
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill) - or flour of your choice
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3 T sugar
  • 1/2 cup Earth Balance non-dairy spread
  • 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
• Filling:
  • 2 pints fresh blueberries
  • 3 TBS gluten-free flour - or flour of your choice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
• After baking:
  • 1 to 2 pints fresh blueberries

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Start with the crust:
Grease pan thoroughly with Earth Balance spread. In a food processor, combine flour, salt, sugar and lemon zest and pulse until combined. Add Earth Balance spread and vinegar, and pulse until combined. There should be pebble-sized pieces formed (see below)

Pour flour mixture into greased pan and press with your hands to make an even crust.

Next, the filling:
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 pints of berries with flour, cinnamon, sugar and lemon zest. Toss with two large spoons to coat the blueberries as much as you can. Pour berry mixture over the crust. Shake the pan gently to spread the mixture evenly over the crust. There will be quite a bit of flour and sugar not coated onto the berries.

Place the tart on lowest shelf of the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the berries bubble and the flour has begun to brown slightly.

Remove tart from oven and immediately sprinkle remaining 1 or 2 pints of berries on top (I used a little over 1 pint). Allow to cool completely before removing outside rim of the pan.

Finally, prepare to have purple fingers trying to get the perfect piece out of the pan. I suggest cooling the tart in the fridge to allow the filling to completely set. This will make cutting pieces easier!

Here's to blueberry-stained hands and teeth: an indication that you're making the most out of the end of this season!

Strawberry Rhubarb & Basil Oat Crumble

Summer is all about the berries. Strawberries first, then blueberries, and last but not least, raspberries towards the end of the summer. While strawberries are not my favorite, I never pass up an opportunity to go berry picking.

If you don't want to make jam, and you don't want to eat pancakes filled with fruit until you hate pancakes, then consider making crumble! Easy to make, easily frozen to eat another time, and just plain delicious. It's a no-brainer.

Here's what you'll need to make 20-24 small bars / to serve a crowd / to treat co-workers!:

• For the strawberry-rhubarb-basil filling:
  • 3/4 cup chopped rhubarb
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 TBS maple syrup
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 TBS finely chopped basil
• For the crumble:
  • 3 cups oat flour
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup white or raw sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted/liquified

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add in all filling ingredients except for the strawberries. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to allow the filling to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the rhubarb has softened. Add in the strawberries, bring back to a boil, then lower the heat once more to allow to simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the filling has thickened. Once thickened, take off the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients except for the coconut oil. Once combined, add in the oil and mix until all the flour has been incorporated and looks uniform.

How you bake the crumble is up to you - you can use a shallow baking sheet, or you can use two brownie pans (usually 9x13). [If you only use half this recipe, then you'll only need one brownie pan.] Spray the dishes with non-stick cooking spray until thoroughly coated. Spread about 1/4 of the crumble mixture on the bottom of the dish, patting down with your hands until you have a thin, uniform layer. Spoon as much filling mixture as you want over the crumble, spreading evenly. Take another 1/4 of the crumble mixture and sprinkle evenly across the top. Repeat with the rest of your crumble mixture

You may not use all of the filling - that's OK! I used the extra filling as a sauce to pour over the crumble afterwards!

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crumble has turned slightly golden. Allow to cool before serving, especially if you want to serve the crumble in bar-form, because it falls apart!

Did I mention they're vegan and gluten-free? What are you waiting for!? Get out in the sunshine, pick you own berries, and bake these scrumptious treats!