"WHAT'S COOKING WITH RUTHIE?" Well how about some fabulous Banana Bread & Recovery Smoothies! YUM!

Last week we had a "workshop" in Relief Society. One of the classes was about Menu Planning. I was totally inspired! I can't wait to get settled in our new home over this week. Next week, my goal is get MUCH better about it. I mean, it is the best thing for your budget and your waist line! I know, for me, if I have a plan, I plan healthy. If I don't, I eat whatever is easiest. Generally not the best choices.

Sometimes I get in a bit of a recipe slump. I have tons of great recipes, but it is always fun to switch things up and try new recipes. For this, I have to say, the internet is one of the greatest tools around! SO many amazing cooks post their recipes with step by step how-to's. I love that. What is real magic is when you find a blogger that posts recipe after recipe that just sings to ya. You know what I mean?

Well recently my friend Ruth started a food blog. It is called "What's Cooking With Ruthie". I love how personal she makes each recipe & post AND the fact that they are practical & realistic family meals, treats, etc. PLUS, she comes from famous cooking stock! Her grandma had a cooking show on TV in the 60's called, "What's Cooking With Louise Connolly". How cool is that?! Check her blog (the link above) to see a picture of her grandma from the TV Guide. Pretty cool!

Anyway, I wanted to share Ruth and her blog with you! What better way than to share a couple of her recipes with you, right?! So, I asked Ruth to do a little guest post for me and she was kind enough to obligue! Thanks Ruth! :) Here you guys go! Be sure to check her blog for more SUPER YUM recipes to try and then add to your next Menu Plan!

Take it away Ruth!

One of my most frequently used recipes of Grams is her Banana Bread.  It's hands down the best I have EVER tasted!  Gramma Weza was always happily busy in her kitchen.  We have a large extended family and she frequently hosted dinners for all of us... one of my uncles has 13 kids! Anyway, I miss Gram.  She died of Breast Cancer in 1996 at too young of an age. I wish my kids could of known her...maybe through my cooking, they do a little bit...

Gram is one of my hero's. She was a single mom of 5 in the 60's and 70's when people did not get divorced.  I am a divorcee and at that time a mother of 3 young children, the example Gram set of strength and determination has helped pull me through some pretty tough times... as my Aunt Jinny reminded me, "We come from tough stock, we are strong women."  

I'll share her original recipe and then my, slightly healthier version.  I think both are really good and for some reason using fresh lemon juice makes it super amazing!

 Louise's Banana Bread
In large mixing bowl, beat well:
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
 2 eggs

Add:
2 large overripe bananas

Add:
2 C flour

Hand stir remaining:
1 tsp soda (dissolved in 1 Tbls water)
1/2 C walnuts (optional)
1 Tbls lemon juice

Spray 1 glass loaf pan with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.  Toothpick in comes out clean when done. Spread butter across the top of warm bread and sprinkle with sugar.
Note: Gram lined the inside of the loaf pan with foil or waxed paper-- before cooking spray.

Ruthies Banana Bread
Blend:
1/2 C butter
1/2 C applesauce
3/4 C sugar
2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites (I use that combo for higher protein and lower fat/cholesterol or use 4 eggs )

Add:
2 2/3 C flour - half at a time

Add: 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
1 tsp baking soda
4 overripe bananas- add one at a time

Mix for 2 minutes on high to blend well, batter will appear glossy.
Pour into 3 glass loaf pans or lined muffin tins... my kids favorite part is sprinkling the tops of the batter with brown sugar. (a trick I learned from my mom)
Bake at 350 degrees.
 Loafs- 35-40 minutes, muffins- 18-20 minutes. Poke with a toothpick, done when clean.
Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn them out on the rack to finish cooling.



Mix batter, add bananas (the blacker the better)



Sprinkle with brown sugar before baking



Oven ready



Cool 5 minutes on wire rack



Turn out to finish cooling

Banana Bread always reminds me of Gram. I hope when my kids make this recipe for their children, they'll talk about Gram, and this Banana Bread recipe will continue to connect the generations... Maybe this post will start some new banana bread generations out there?

And how about another.....

RECOVERY SMOOTHIES

I keep myself physically active... my family is too.  For the past 12 years I've been a runner at almost every level.  My first 5K meant as much to me as my first marathon... there was a period in my life when I was over weight, unhealthy, and out of shape. 12 years ago, I made some changes and started to learn what a balanced, healthy life style was all about.  I learned to eat and exercise intuitively (a super great book, "Intuitive Eating" by Tribole and Resch talks about this concept).  I have tried to teach my kids these principles in hopes that they won't struggle, as I did for many years. I love that my body can do almost anything I ask of it and I am so grateful.... really, our bodies are amazing!
 

Recovery after exercise is vital... part of this is adequate rest, the other part is good nutrition.  This smoothie recipe is a favorite of our families.  The kids like it in the morning for a quick breakfast!  They also ask for them after football or basketball or dance practice (depending on the kid). There's a 30 minute window, after exercise, to get the best recovery nutrition to your muscles.  I'm so glad that they are aware of their bodies and are learning how to take care of them. 



Didn't I have glasses like that in the 80's?

 Recovery Smoothie
1 C water
1/2 banana (I buy on sale, remove skin, break in 3rds, freeze in ziplocks)
1 scoop whey protein (I buy at Costco)
1 packet Emergen C (Costco, again!) 
1 Tbls Flax seed (don't skip this one... it's so good for you)
1 tsp Glutamine powder (this is specifically for after intense workouts)
1 C frozen fruit (yep, Costco)
 (optional 1 tsp lemon juice, if you like a sour twist!)

Blend the first 6 and then add the frozen fruit.  (I have to triple this recipe for our family.) *I got this recipe from my Rockin Awesome trainer friend...


Add water



The ingredients



Add frozen fruit



 Bottoms up!

 Another really good and simple one to try is:
1 C Milk (even soy)
1 banana
1 scoop of whey protein Blend

Live, Laugh, Love.... to do that we need a balanced diet, exercise, and take good care of our bodies! After all we only get one!!!