Oct 2006

Cranberry Walnut Pumpkin Bread

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup canned pure pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9 1/4×5 1/4×3-inch loaf pan. Line bottom and 2 long sides with waxed paper. Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, then vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions each. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Transfer batter to pan. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool bread in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around bread at short ends to loosen from pan. Turn bread out onto rack; peel off waxed paper. Cool bread completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.)

Makes 1 loaf.

Bon Appétit, October 2003

[For Printable Recipe Click Here]

Substitutions: Whole wheat flour in place of white, cinnamon instead of pumpkin pie spice, non-fat plain yogurt instead of butter, only used a 1/2 cup of sugar, no walnuts.

Oct 2006

Cranberry Banana Bread

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 4 very ripe bananas, mashed well
  • 1 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9×5 loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Add cranberries. Mash the bananas and add all the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix well. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake for an hour.

Adapted from Knocked Up Vegan

[For Printable Recipe Click Here]

Oct 2006

Pyramids – Washington D.C.

October 9, 2006
Cuisine: Moroccan

600 Florida Ave NW *CLOSED*
Washington, D.C. 20001

Phone: 202-232-6776
Website: none

Entree I: B’stilla – Sweet, seasoned pie in the best Moroccan tradition. Baked layers of thin pastry sheets (ouarqa). Stuffed with minced chicken, almonds and saffron. Sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Entree II: Lamb Shawarma Sandwich – seasoned and roasted in lemon and garlic, served with fries.

James is the luckiest boy I know because his neighbors are Ethiopians and Moroccans. I am very jealous of the abundance of ethnic cuisine around James’ ‘hood (Shaw-Howard U Metro). Although the Ethiopians dominate, I saw some Thai and Soul food as well. Mmm boy.

Pyramid is located just a few short minutes from James’ pad and serves mainly Middle Eastern fare. However, the menu does offer “American Favorites” such as burgers and fries! I ordered a chicken B’stilla (a seafood B’stilla was also on the menu), while James went for a Lamb Shawarma Sandwich.

The B’stilla was INCREDIBLE. Crispy pastry shell, complex interior, and just enough cinnamon and sugar to make our taste buds go bananas. In fact, the B’stilla was so good that I ordered one “to go” for the Astronomer. The B’stilla was truly divine and my mouth still waters at the thought of it. I can’t wait to have another. The B’stilla was served with a potato salad that was very flavorful and not mayo-based. The salad consisted of potatoes, carrots, iceberg lettuce, and onions in a vinaigrette. It offered a nice contrast to the B’stilla’s sweetness.

James’ Lamb Shawarma Sandwich was very delicious as well. There was plenty of lamb wrapped inside a pita, which was thin like a tortilla. The entire sandwich was doused in a strong tahini sauce that complimented all the flavors very well. I didn’t try the French fries, but James seemed to like ’em.

James, me

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