Banana Bread for One

I eat a banana every day. Sometimes, I just can’t look at a bowl of cereal or a smoothie, though, and I have to burst out in happy banananess!

7 TBLSP flour

Large pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Small pinch of baking soda

A shake or two of ground ginger

2 ½ TBLSP sugar

4 TBLSP of mashed-up ripe banana

1 TBLSP melted vegan butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 TBLSP almond milk (optional, to moisten if necessary)

1 ½ TBLSP walnut bits

1 TBSPL chocolate chips

1 TBLSP raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a muffin tin (just two muffins) or mini-loaf pan with oil or cooking spray or line two muffin holes with paper.

1. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and sugar together in a small bowl.
2. Combine the mashed banana, melted butter, and vanilla together in another small bowl. Stir the wet into the dry ingredients.
3. Add milk by dribbles until it makes a wet and pourable batter that’s thicker than pancake batter and looser than bread dough. You may not need any milk at all, if your banana was moist enough.
4. Add the walnut bits, chocolate chips, and raisins, and stir just enough to incorporate them. Don’t over work it.
5. Pour into prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool on a rack. It will deflate a little bit.

 

Zucchini and Banana Muffins for One

This quick bread will make your head explode with happiness. It’s fast, it’s made from ordinary things, and it tastes spectacular. Try it! 

½ cup grated zucchini

½ ripe banana (about 2 or 3 inches), mashed

2 ½ TBLSP applesauce

2 ½ TBLSP brown sugar

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Squeeze of lemon juice

Slosh of vanilla extract

½ cup all-purpose flour

Pinch baking soda

Pinch baking powder

Shake ground cinnamon

Shake nutmeg

Shake ground cloves

Pinch salt

Pinch granulated sugar for topping

Pinch cinnamon for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line 4 muffin cups with paper liners

1. In a small bowl, combine zucchini, banana, applesauce, brown sugar, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla.
2. In another small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves.
3. Add flour mixture to zucchini, and stir until just barely combined.
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups about ¾ full.
5. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve naked and fabulous, or top with a little vegan cream cheese or a blop of your favorite jam.

Variations:

• This recipe makes four muffins, so why not spoon two of them into muffin tins just as they are, and then add 1 TBLSP raisins and 1 TBLSP walnut pieces to the remaining half.
• Try it with a small handful of chocolate chips for a sweeter offering.
• Use brown sugar instead of the cinnamon and sugar topping for a crispier crust.

Pan-Fried Biscuit for One

This bready little meal is sugar free, can easily be made gluten free, and has infinite possibilities for variation. It's quick and delicious, too!

1 ½ TBLSP ground flax seed

2 TBLSP water or non-dairy milk

7 TBLSP all-purpose flour (or use gluten-free flour)

Sprinkle of cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking powder

3 TBLSP applesauce

Oil for frying

1. In a small bowl, combine the flax meal and water (or non-dairy milk). Set it aside to form into a nice gloppy mess.
2. In another small bowl (a cereal bowl works well for this), combine the flour, cinnamon, and baking powder. Stir in the applesauce and the flax glop. The batter will be thick, almost like dough. It will also be sticky, so you’ll have some trouble forming it into patties, but keep after it!
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place the patties into the hot oil. When a peek at the underside shows golden brown, flip them over. Cover the pan for a few minutes to make sure they’re cooked inside.

Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup.

Variations:

• Toss in some chocolate chips. A tablespoon will do ya.
• Toss in some blueberries. A quarter of a cup should be more than enough.
• Serve with jam or marmalade instead of fresh fruit and syrup.
• Grate some zucchini and add it with the applesauce.
• Grate some carrot and add it with the applesauce.
• Mash up some left-over roasted sweet potato and add it with the applesauce.