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• Each recipe will nearly fill a gallon zip-lock bag.
• I use two half-sheet pans (purchased at COSTCO), lined with parchment paper. A jelly roll pan would be fine.
• I use a bench scraper to score the dough, although a pizza cutter would do the job.
• Use a food processor to chop the peanuts. You might want to chop extra and store in freezer for future use.
• Buy cheap bananas and puree in a food processor. Store measured recipe-size portions in zip-locks in freezer. I also buy the large size container of applesauce and freeze the extra.
• If using fresh ginger, use a tablespoon (flatware, not a measuring spoon) to peel ginger root. Use a microplane grater to grate the peeled root. You might want to grate extra and store in freezer for future use.
• I have not had to add water to either recipe since I start with 4 cups of flour and add more as needed to make a stiff dough.

Banana Peanut

4-5 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup peanuts, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups ripe banana, pureed
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
(Water)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix dry, then wet ingredients. If needed, add water, one teaspoon at a time as needed.

Roll to about 1/8-1/4″ thickness. Transfer to parchment-lined cookie sheet. Using a bench scraper, cut into strips about 3/8″ wide (or desired size). Cut across the strips to create roughly square shaped treats. Cut all the way through the dough, but do not separate individual treats.

Bake approximately 30 minutes, switching cookie sheets after 15 minutes. Remove from oven and break apart, spreading pieces in single layer on cookie sheets. Reduce oven temperature to about 220-250F. Return to oven and bake until dry, 1-2 hours. Check often and switch cookie sheets to help ensure even baking.

Ginger

Follow the recipe above, using 1 1/2 cups applesauce and 1/4 grated fresh ginger for the cinnamon and banana.  If you prefer, you can substitute 1 Tablespoon dried powdered ginger for the fresh.

This recipe was also posted on Cooks Forum and is quick to prepare after work. I thought it was plenty spicy, but some may want to add more heat. I used Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste, a brand readily available in ordinary grocery stores. Also, I substituted turbinado sugar (AKA ‘raw sugar’) for the palm sugar and boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the chicken half-breasts.  Source: Charmaine Solomon’s 1989 Thai cookbook.

Chicken in Spicy Peanut Sauce
(Gai Phad Sauce Tua)

2 lb chicken half-breasts
1 tsp garlic, crushed
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 Tbsp red curry paste
2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 c scallions cut into 2 in lengths
¼ c roasted peanuts, crushed (OR 2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter)
2 tsp palm sugar
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 c coconut milk
2 c broccoli florets Cut each half-breast in half again with a sharp chopper, wash them to get rid of any splinters of bone, and dry well on paper towels.

Heat a wok, pour in the oil and swirl to coat the wok. Toss the spring onions in the oil for a few seconds, remove and set aside. Fry the chicken pieces, turning them over until browned all over.

Add the peanuts or peanut butter, palm sugar, fish sauce and coconut milk. Stir well to combine. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, and if the sauce reduces too much add a little water and stir well.

Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain. Add the broccoli and spring onions to the chicken and mix gently.

Serve hot with rice, and a tangy salad.

Serves 6

Very tasty and quick to make, this recipe was posted on Cooks Forum by Mean Chef. I substituted bacon for the pancetta and Yukon Gold potatoes for the russet potato because that’s what I happened to have.  The Rainbow Chard in this week’s produce box yielded more than enough leaves.  I’ll steam the remaining leaves and stalks to eat with another meal.

Winter Minestrone
4-6 servings
55 minutes 15 mins prep

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb swiss chard, stems trimmed,l eaves coarsely chopped
1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 (15 ounces) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 (14 ounces) cans low sodium beef broth
1 ounce parmesan cheese, rind
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.) Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.