I’ve made this savoury polenta pie, adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook, several times but this version was the best so far! The crust was thick and rich (the addition of Parmesan) and the novelty of whipped baked squash filling took this savoury pie to the next level! I topped it off with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, yum!
I use a 10-inch Emile Henry pie dish to achieve the chewy, thick crust. The pie dish has built-in fluting so even an amateur like me can impress my family and friends with my pie’s presentation! You can find the original recipe here: Mollie Katzen’s Polenta Pie
Earlier this week I satisfied my love of sweets with this Applesauce Bran Loaf adapted from my brother-in-law who says it’s adapted from a weight-watchers recipe! I prefer to make my own baked goods to control the amount and type of sweeteners and fats included. Here’s the recipe:
Applesauce Bran Loaf: Grease a standard loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine and beat thoroughly: 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 1/2 cup applesauce (or mashed banana or combination), 1/2 cup molasses
Add and mix until smooth: 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup wheat bran, 2 cups oatmeal
Press into baking pan pushing dough into corners and leaving a depression in the middle (this will rise during baking). Bake about 70 minutes until done (check that a knife comes out clean).
Every time I make this loaf it’s a bit different, depending on what’s in the cupboard! This version included walnuts and dried apricots. I ran out of wheat bran so I included a cup of toasted wheat germ. Instead of using the two cups called for in the recipe, I prefer only using one cup, this results in a moister loaf. I like a thick slice toasted with a dab of butter!
Of course, all that eating has to include some exercise! Here I am dancing at the Kitsilano Showboat on Canada weekend and working on some tennis drills at our local courts, whew time for a snack!
How about you, what are you doing this summer to stay fit and fed?
Leslie Keelty 