April | 2012 | All Things Simple

Last week we had our first official guests come to visit us in San Francisco. Rebecca and Jason were our best eating/drinking buddies in Seattle, and we continued the tradition down here in the Bay Area. We went a wee bit crazy to say the least. During their three night stay, we hit up Russian River Brewery, Nopa, Nihon, Bourbon & Branch, Chile Pies & Ice Cream, and Chez Panisse–to name a few. We had a great time exploring our new city with them, but I’m still detoxing as we speak.

I bought some bananas before our guests came thinking that some fruit would help offset our eating and drinking extravaganza. Lo and behold, nobody touched them. By the time we took Jason and Rebecca to the airport, my well-intentioned bananas were looking pretty brown and generally unappetizing. This could only mean one thing: banana bread tiempo!

Everyone who loves to cook has a favorite banana bread recipe in their repertoire. I fussed around for years trying to find my idea of the perfect banana bread. The kind that is so deliciously moist and dense that it could be served as a legitimate dessert with a dollop of whipped cream. My search ended the day I found this recipe. The addition of cream fraiche (or sour cream) is completely brilliant. I haven’t tried another recipe since.

I’ve always made this recipe with good old tried and true canola oil. But coconut oil has really been having its moment lately, so I thought I’d give it a shot. Coconut oil has gotten a bad rap in the past, but minimally processed and virgin oil is said to have some very good health benefits when used in moderation. This is a great article on the topic from Melissa Clark, in case you’re curious.

If you use virgin coconut oil, like the one I bought from TJ’s, it will give off a slight coconut flavor when baked. This is great for people who love coconuts (like me!), but not so awesome if you don’t. Also, virgin coconut oil does not come in liquid form like we’re used to. You literally have to scoop it out of the jar, almost like peanut butter. When you bake with it, melt the oil and let it cool before using. This way it will get evenly distributed into the batter.

The coconut oil gave the bread a subtle, nutty complexity which I absolutely loved. Just when I didn’t think I could l love this recipe any more, coconut oil has to come and shake things up.

What do you think about using coconut oil in baked goods?

Have you used it in savory dishes too?

Some people swear by it. And based on my minimal experience, I’d say it’s pretty magical.

No-Fail Banana Bread
Adapted from Flour’s Famous Banana Bread
Yield: One Loaf

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled

3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed

2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides of the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and add walnuts if using.

Pour batter into the lined and greased loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Hello again, dear readers! It has been a while but I have a really good excuse for my absence. We finally found a place to live! This past week has just been a whirlwind of unpacking boxes and trolling One Kings Lane for furniture. The first couple days were very stressful, but we’re finally beginning to feel settled. Some people can move from one place to the next with grace and ease. I’m definitely not one of them. There’s nothing more unnerving to me than bare walls and an empty fridge. But I guess that’s just process of turning a house into a home. Little by little I think things are starting to come together.

While our move wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, our new place is definitely growing on me. It has a lot of old San Francisco charm and two (yes, TWO) eating areas. We now have a dining nook, and a formal dining room. We ate dinner every night on our coffee table at our old place, so this is a big deal for us! I have a feeling we will be very happy here.

I wanted to make a batch of granola that could sustain us through all the heavy lifting and grumpy moments. Olive oil granola recipes have been making the rounds lately, so I thought i’d give it a shot. I got some delicious olive oil in my Foodzie box last month and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to bust it out. I decided on this Food52 recipe–the perfect mix of nuts, coconut, and oats, balanced with maple syrup and olive oil. Needless to say, the granola never even lasted for the actual move–my family ate it all within 48 hours.

This granola is great on its own, but especially magical sprinkled on top of yogurt. Between the pepitas, sunflower seeds, and olive oil, I think it’s safe to say that this granola is not only delicious but also pretty nutritious. To top it off, the coconut pieces somehow remind me of Samoa Girl Scout cookies. You just have to try it to see what I mean. I could just be straight-up crazy.

I’ll be sure to post some pics of my new kitchen soon!

Maple Pecan Olive Oil Granola
Yield: About 7 cups
Recipe from Food52

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), hulled

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, hulled

1 cup unsweetened coconut chips (I got mine from Whole Foods)

1 1/4 cup raw pecans, left whole or coarsely chopped

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

Coarse salt

Heat oven to 300°F.

Place oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, pecans, syrup, olive oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Spread granola mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until granola is toasted, about 45 minutes.

Remove granola from oven and season with more salt to taste. Let cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 1 month.