Banana Chocolate Chip Dessert

3/4 c butter
2/3 c white sugar
2/3 c brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 t vanilla
1 c mashed bananas
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour (I used 1 c white, 3/4 c wheat)
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour 10x15" jelly roll pan (I use pampered chef rectangle stone)

In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Fold in mashed banana.  In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.  Fold flour mixture into butter mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread in prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, until set.  Cool before cutting into squares.

Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Baby Portobellos

1 1/2 lb. Baby Portobellos the bigger the better (or button mushrooms)
1 1/2 c. Fresh Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Red Onion chopped
1 Garlic Clove pressed
3/4 t. Sea Salt
2 T. Fresh Parsley chopped
1/2 t. Basil

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Process about 2 slices of whole wheat bread in a food processor.  You can use prepared bread crumbs, but whenever possible, I'd use fresh for sure. This makes about 1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs.  It's also a great way to use up the butts of your loaf bread.  Set aside.  Remove stems from mushrooms and chop them right up.  Brush one of the tablespoons of oil around in a 13 X 9 pan.  Heat the rest of the oil in a pan over medium high heat.  Add garlic and onions and sauté for 7 minutes.  Stir in salt, and then bread crumbs, basil, and parsley.  Evenly distribute mixture to mushroom caps.  Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your mushroom caps.  Keep an eye out that they don't get too brown.  Serve with a fresh salad, and enjoy!

Colette's Whole Wheat Bread

This recipe is amazing! It makes delicious whole-wheat bread with the texture of white, and only has to rise once. So yummy!!

7 c whole wheat flour
2/3 c vital wheat gluten
2-1/2 T instant yeast

5 c steaming hot water (120-130F)

2 T salt
2/3 c oil
2/3 c honey OR 1 c sugar (I like honey)
2-1/2 T bottled lemon juice

5 c whole wheat flour

Mix together the first three ingredients in your mixer with a dough hook. Add water all at once and mix for 1 minute; cover and let rest for 10 minutes (this is called sponging).

Add salt, oil, honey or sugar, and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute.

Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Beat for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This makes a very soft dough.

Pre-heat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off. Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into 4 loaves, place in oiled bread pans. Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes until dough reaches the top of pan. Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.

This recipe can be halved to make 2 loaves.

**Another tip . . . when the dough is put into the bread pans, squish the dough softly into the corners of your bread loaf pans. This will make your bread cook more evenly and not have the large lump in the middle of your loaf.