If you’ve watched my cooking show, you’ll know that my partner loves her some banana bread. She buys a bunch of bananas every month and refuses to eat them in the hopes that they’ll turn brown and I’ll make a loaf. Or two. It’s become a bit of a game with us, with me reminder her about the bananas she bought and that she should eat them before they go bad, and her acknowledging my comment, but leaving them to hang, dejected, on the little hook in the kitchen.

And I’ll get ‘the look’ if I eat them. I can usually sneak a couple off the hook when she isn’t looking, but it’s a risky enterprise.

We played it again recently, and I (lucky me) ended up with enough over-ripe bananas to make two loaves. Unfortunately, I didn’t have quite enough all-purpose flour to make two full loaves, so I had to improvise.

And a quick side note here: I am not a fan of baking. There are a few things I’ll make, like bread, but for the most part I shy away from the baking/pastry/sweets aspect of the kitchen. Partly because I really don’t eat sweet stuff, and partly because it doesn’t allow for as much improvisation and creativity as regular cooking. But I digress…

I didn’t realize this at first and mixed up the first batch, poured it into the pan, popped it in the oven. When there was about fifteen minutes left on the timer, I started on the next loaf. And that’s when I realized I was short about a half of a cup of flour.

I cursed the heavens.

Well, not really, but I had to figure out what to do about the situation. I dug around in the pantry for a few minutes and discovered a small bag of coconut flour I had bought a few months ago for some other failed cooking experiment. Would it work? Could it be a fair substitute? I could have look online to see for sure, but at that point I figured I could risk it. At least I had one good loaf almost ready. That would keep her placated until she decided it was time for another round of Ignore the Bananas Until They Are Gross.

I’ve added shredded, unsweetened coconut flakes in the past in my banana bread, but never flour. I had no idea what to expect. A flat loaf? A brick that could chip teeth? A biohazard?

Luckily, I hit it out of the park. The coconut flour did change the texture of the crust, made it a little crispier, gave it a bit more personality. The interior – the crumb – seemed a little bit denser. Overall, however, it turned out well.

So well, in fact, that I’ve been ordered…I mean, instructed, to use the coconut flour in the next batch.

Hooray for lucky guesses!

RB

Yep, I’m back in the kitchen after a long and unexpected hiatus. If it’s still kinda cold where you reside, seems like a perfect time to make chili. It’s incredibly easy, quick to make, stores well, and the ingredients won’t break the bank. In fact, you probably have most of them in your kitchen already.

Check out the latest episode and let me know what you think.

RB

I’m back in the kitchen to share one of the easiest recipes I know – Roasted Chickpeas. It’s healthy, simple, and allows you to customize it anyway you want. It’s also a great snack for those late-night writing sessions.

Check out the video below…

Fall is in the air and butternut squash is on the menu. Check out my latest cooking video as I share one of my favorite recipes. Only a few ingredients – the aforementioned squash, onion, apple, and a few odds and ends. Perfect for a cozy night or a chilly morning.

Oh, and this version is also vegan.

Once you try it I guarantee you’ll be hooked.

I’m a seasonal cook. I like to try and use seasonal ingredients and shop local, so my menu has to change with the seasons. This means spicier and hardier dishes, lots of winter squash and legumes, and more oven and slow cooker recipes.

In fact, just this past weekend I made my first batch of October chili. I made a huge pot – six quarts – so there’s enough for a couple of dinners for my partner and I, then I can freeze the rest for those nights I don’t feel like making something from scratch. I’ve been making chili since I was a teenager and the recipe has evolved over the years.

Truth be told, it’s never really quite the same thing twice. If you’ve seen my cooking videos on YouTube or read previous cooking posts here on my blog, you know that I like to mix things up when I cook. So while the base of my chili remains the same, the add-ins are always different. And don’t worry, it’ll be sharing it on YouTube soon.

But I also like butternut squash soup. Oh my, it’s one of those recipes that I’ve been trying to fine tune for years….and I think I’ve finally gotten it just right. I like this recipe because it’s only a handful of ingredients and easy to make (like most of the things I cook).

There’s an amazing variety of winter squash. I roast it, make soup, mash it, even cook it on the grill outside. It’s versatile, incredibly healthy, and stores well. Sort of like a perfect veggie, in my opinion. The only thing that I can complain about is cleaning it. That can take some time and patience. But if you do it right you can also end up with a bunch of squash seeds, which you can then season and roast. That’s good eatin’!

I have a bunch of recipes I’ll be sharing soon on my cooking channel. Hope you stop by and check them out. You never know, you may find something you’ll love! Click the image below to view my cooking vids.

RB