Peanut Butter Banana Ice "Cream" Sundae Sandwich

Have you gotten in on the frozen banana ice cream train? The idea is simple, yet brilliant. Take a banana. Freeze it, then give it a whirl in the blender, with a splash of vanilla. If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend it. It's a satisfying and wicked healthy ice cream replacement.

I'm one of those people who are committed to their ice cream. I will eat it year round, regardless of the outside or inside temperature. In the dead of winter, I walk downstairs, complaining bitterly of the chill, wrapped in a scarf, my fingerless gloves on. I will pad into the kitchen, my heavy duty socks acting like slippers. Staring at my hand, I will wonder if my fingers have frozen solid? No, still usable? Good. I open up the freezer, take out an ice cream container, scoop frozen goodness into a bowl. And later I will wonder why it's suddenly gotten colder.

I've made banana ice cream for breakfast before. I've eaten ice cream instead of dinner.

I know I'm not the only one.

But, sometimes we need to eat "real" food. Not a creamy frozen dessert.

So what to do if it's lunchtime, you don't know what to make and you've got a banana frozen in the freezer? Make an ice cream sundae sandwich of course!

Oddly healthy, this sandwich concoction will surely satisfy the child within.

Peanut Butter Banana Sundae Sandwich
Ingredients:
2 slices of challah OR white bread
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 large square of dark chocolate (70% of higher) OR 1 tablespoon Nutella
1 pre-sliced frozen banana

Toppings(Optional):
Chopped Nuts
Sprinkles
Mini Chocolate Chips
Shredded Coconut

At least two hours prior, slice a banana and freeze. If you already have a whole frozen banana, you can use this as well, but it will defrost faster, and give your sandwich a stronger banana taste.

Take the bread and cover one piece with peanut butter and the other with chocolate. Using a toaster oven or a pan heat the slices, until lightly toasty and the chocolate melts.

Add desired toppings. Take the banana chips out of the freezer. Spread frozen slices on the bread.

Put together the sandwich and consume immediately.

Veggie Burgers

A veggie burger is a interesting kind of food. I choose to view at more as a portable casserole than a meat substitute. There are so many different kinds of veggie burgers, made of different types of vegetables, grains, and protein. Generally, they don't taste like beef, because they are not beef. But they are as deeply satisfying and comforting as bitting into any piece of meat.

Here are some of my favorites.

1. The Peter Rabbit from The Peter Christian Tavern in New London, NH.

A homemade burger topped with a sundried tomato hummus and sprouts. Delicious, delicious, delicious. I only wish two things were different: that I knew how it was made, and that I lived within driving distance. If I had to guess, I'd say it was made with pinto beans and cooked carrots, but don't quote me on that. It could be the rabbit talking.

2. Portobello Mushroom Burgers.

Nature's veggie burger. 'nuff said. Juicy and satisfying- there are endless topping possibilities. Try with basil, roasted red peppers and mozzarella, for an Italian twist.

3. Not Your Average Joe's a chain restaurant located in Virginia and Massachusetts.

Whoa. Black bean burger made with caramelized onions, brown rice and barbecue sauce. Tasted like a meat burger, I swear. All the best parts. Charred to perfection, the sauce was amazing. It didn't taste like rice at all or have a bean paste texture. Crave meat, no more.

4. Pumpkin Burgers from Eating Well.

Spicy and hearty. I've made my own adjustments to this recipe which I'll be sure to post about soon. But there's nothing wrong with the original. Make a double batch, they freeze fantastically. Defrost, crumble and add to a vegetable stir fry for a quick meal.

What's your favorite veggie burger?

Chocolate Chip Cookies

What can I say? These cookies are my childhood.

These cookies were one of the first things I ever learned how to bake. My mother used to whip up the dough, measure out the chocolate chips, hand me a metal spoon, and let me mix them in. The best part of the whole process. There's nothing quite like pouring in handfuls of chocolate, slowly mixing them in, watching the buttery dough coat the chips so they start to shine. All the while the oven is warming your back and you just know that you are nine minutes away from the most important bit of all- the test cookie.

Sometimes a kid's gotta do, what a kid's gotta do.

Montreal: Hot Chocolate and Bakery Windows Pt. 2

Bringing my food tour of Montreal to a close, I will continue discussing the many delicious foods and attempt to move beyond Old Montreal. But first, let me share a quick pic I snapped while walking through the cobblestone streets.

Not much can compare to fresh french bread. The yeasty smell that fills the air when the oven is opened, the crunch when you bite down, the sweetness of the bread...

Perhaps chocolate. Perhaps.

Moving on... Let's talk hot chocolate-

The difference between American hot chocolate and Montreal is night and day.

While hot chocolate is traditionally made with cocoa powder in the USA, in Montreal they use melted chocolate. Stirring is often required to get to the near-solid layer of warm chocolate that rests on the bottom of the glass.

The drink pictured here was from a chain near the hotel, Java U. Looking at it makes me think of a chocolate milkshake, the way they served it in a tall glass and handed you a long handled spoon. It was the largest amount of hot chocolate I was served at one time and ironically the least chocolatey.




The other hot chocolates were in small coffee cups, including ones that looked better fit to hold an expresso shot. And they were more intense then the milkshake chocolate.

Let that sink in.

The molten chocolate to milk ratio can be overwhelming the first time you experience it.

Mmmm.....

Tiny cups of chocolatey goodness-

What could be better?

The best hot chocolate was from Cafe Myriade. We had to walk two miles from our hotel to get there, but it was worth it. And more importantly, we needed to work up an appetite. Cafe Myriade had a machine that mixed the molten chocolate as you watched. Intense. My companions had their cappuccino and pastries.

Check out the intricateness of the leaf design on the cappuccino. Gorgeous.

I drank my melted chocolate with milk and ate a chocolate croissant.

Sometimes mornings are stressful.

Sometimes not.

Later that day, while wandering the streets, we came across a beautiful cupcake window display.

Cupcakes in martini glasses, what could go wrong?

I think my favorite meal had to be fondue at Founduementale. Gorgeous bubbly cheese mixed with basil and garlic. Endless pieces of bread to dip. My only regret was that it was so large, I couldn't finish it. And sadly, they have not yet invented a way to sensibly take fondue leftovers with you. The meal was rounded off with a chocolate fondue served with bananas, apples, marshmallows and of course, strawberries, which we dipped to our hearts content.

And those are some of my favorite places to visit in Montreal.

If you feel cheated by the lack of chocolate and/or fondue based photographs from this post, or simply want to learn about more Montreal restaurants, check out how to get chocolate poisoning (or how not) in Montreal at The Personal Autopsy, a hysterical blog written by Brittany, the self proclaimed goddess of cats, squirrels and chocolate. Check her out!

Olive et Gourmando: Chocolate and a Salad in Montreal

For my next few posts, I will be doing a brief series on Montreal, as I just returned there from a week-long vacation.

To begin, I want to talk chocolate.

This is not an idle conversation. Chocolate is an important part of my life. I consider it to be a minor obsession.

I'm well aware of the health benefits of chocolate- that the flavonoids are good for your heart and that there's even some evidence that eating a little chocolate everyday can help depression.

But none of those things matter. Not really. I'd eat it anyway. 

So it should come to no surprise, that last week while vacationing in Montreal, I had my fair share of the sweet stuff. Largely, I enjoyed hot chocolates and chocolate pastries, often at the same time.

I roamed the streets of Old Montreal, taking in the cobblestones and old buildings. I had my fair share of food at various restaurants and cafes. My favorite meal however, was at Olive et Gourmando.

I could have eaten there every day and been satisfied. How satisfied? To get back to the hotel on day five, all I would have needed would have been a really good push.

Their most outrageous chocolatey pastry is their Valhrona Chocolate Brioche. It's the type of pastry that's probably meant to be split, but you won't want too share. The outside is flaky, but the inside is as moist as a muffin. Rich veins of chocolate run throughout. It is well worth sinking your teeth into.

To really go overboard, pair with their hot chocolate. Be sure to mix well, the bottom of the cup is where most of the chocolate is hiding.

Olive et Gourmando is a stylish and trendy sort of place. It's always bustling with people, whether they are standing in line for one of the two counters or enjoying their meal. At one point, I ate a late lunch at two in the afternoon and it was still as busy as ever. When you walk into the cafe, you can immediately see the first line of people waiting for their coffee and pastry. The second counter is in the back and has a large chalkboard, listing the many sandwiches available. Not-so-visible is the inside of the counter, where more food options are often hidden by people waiting to order them. 

The one thing to be aware of before you visit is the menu. Simply put, they don't have one. At least not in the normal sense. Instead, the staff will direct you to the many chalkboards that are scattered about the restaurant. The pastries are all labeled by tiny white markers and lunch options are showcased similarly in the back counter. Tea, coffee, and hot chocolate options are tightly squeezed on a long chalkboard located in a tiny corner, right next to the pastry line.

As busy as this place is and as diverse are their options, I highly recommend that you check out their website at http://oliveetgourmando.com/ for the extensive list of pastries, sandwiches, salads and more, before visiting. It's easy to miss food options that are hidden behind customers otherwise.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the chocolate? Quick! Stare at this kale.

Better?

Olive et Gourmando also has the best vegetarian/vegan fare for breakfast and lunch. I ate The Herbivore as my next meal after my chocolate overdose. It's a monstrous dish made for a veggie lover with an appetite.

The Herbivore is a delicious and healthy salad, full of shredded and chopped vegetables, such as kale, carrots and radishes, mixed with different kinds of seeds and nuts. The whole thing rests on a pile of Soba noodles. The plate is topped off with sprouts and your choice of dressing. I went with a spicy peanut sauce. Fabulous.

Olive et Gourmando was one of the most pleasant places I ate at while in Montreal and I highly recommend you check it out if you are ever in town, whether it be for a meal or a pastry to go.

Spinach Pesto Pasta

Quinoa. The love of my vegetarian life. 

It has everything a woman could ever want. Protein and high fiber, the grain is more than just a pretty face. And since it comes in three color choices, tan, red and black, it can go with just about any meal.

I'd like to say that this dish is the culmination of everything I've been working toward. A masterful work of culinary art born of genius. Each ingredient the natural partner of the previous flavor inserted.

I'd like to say that, but really I got bored. And this consisted mostly of leftovers I had laying about the kitchen. 

The macaroni noodles from the box of Annie's Mac and Cheese that never saw the cheese sauce-

The fresh pesto that had been made the day before from the basil plants outside-

Extra spinach that didn't make it into the lasagna-

Sometimes things happen for a reason. Just go with it.

The ricotta cheese adds a richness to the whole meal. Basil and garlic prevails over the taste buds. The spinach gives an italian flair. And the peas? Well, you can never have too many peas.

Any type of quinoa will do. There isn't a large difference in the flavors of each kind. But the red gives the plate a lovely color.

Mix in that quinoa. It's crunchy and delicious and adds great texture.

And while I'm in the confessing mood, I'd also like to say that before this lovely creation come into existence, I utterly failed to make pumpkin soup. Oops.

Spinach Pesto Pasta

Ingredients
olive oil(for pan)
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup pre-cooked macaroni
dollap of fat free ricotta cheese
basil pesto
1/4 cup cooked quinoa

Saute spinach and peas in olive oil in a medium sized pan on medium low heat. Continue until peas are thawed and spinach has wilted. Turn heat down to low. Add cheese, mixing well until vegetables are coated. Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Mix and let sit for 30 seconds.

Take pan off of the heat. Add pesto to mixture. Serve. Sprinkle heavily with quinoa to add extra crunch.

Red, White and Blue- Ice Cream Sponge Cake Roll w/Blueberry Sauce

This July 4th, I was in a pie eating contest. A mini-pie eating contest where you had to finish a single pie. I lost. Little children beat me. Adults beat me. I ended up throwing the pie away, not finishing it even afterwards. But it was good fun and I got to try to eat out of a tin with my hands behind my back. I even managed to gleam a little pie-eating wisdom from the guy sitting next to me. The secret is to tip the pie out of the pan onto the picnic table. Then you can actually get to the entirety of the pie. I had only managed to eat the upper crust. Couldn't get into the filling, the dish was too shallow.

Beware mini-pie eating contestants. Next 4th of July, I'm coming for you.

To celebrate family and friends gathered together for a 4th BBQ. My mother set up the dining room with special paper plates and napkins. She is the queen of themes, so her table went as Red, White and Blue as possible-

Flag patterned napkins, red plates, and blue tablecloths. A white candle in a hurricane lamp as the centerpiece filled with blue marbles, sitting on a red base.

Being my responsibility to make dessert this year, I had to follow along.

The end result- a yellow sponge cake, filled with vanilla ice cream and chopped strawberries with a blueberry sauce drizzle on top. Yum.

Ice Cream Sponge Cake
(from the Joy of Cooking)
Sponge Cake

Filling:
vanilla ice cream
1 cup (chopped) strawberries

Blueberry Sauce
(Cooking Light)

Make sponge cake to directions. Place the cake on a sheet of aluminum foil. Spread softened ice cream across cake, just enough to cover. Top with strawberries. Roll cake slowly and tightly. Cracking will lessen the more the roll progresses. Remove any excess filling. Move cake to the center of the foil. Wrap the aluminum around the roll to help the cake keep shape. Freeze.

To Serve:
Let soften 2-3 minutes. Cut individual slices and top with blueberry sauce.