baking Tag

Glass half-full of milk outside

Dairy for Babies

When I was a mom just starting solids with my baby I was very confused by the rules around dairy. It was clear that my little one wasn't supposed to drink cow's milk--only breastmilk or formula. But, on the other hand, there was yogurt marketed...

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Loaf of banana bread with one slice cut

One-Bowl Banana-Zucchini Bread

This delicious recipe is a mash-up of two of my favorite simple baking projects: banana bread and zucchini bread. It's a quick bread, meaning that there's no yeast or kneading involved. And, unlike many similar recipes, it only requires one mixing bowl. This easy banana bread...

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Pumpkin muffins

The Pumpkin Muffins That Made Me a Liar

As parents when we want to convince our kids to eat new foods it seems natural to extol their health benefits. "Jicama is soooo fun to eat--and full of fiber!" "Milk will help fill your tummy and build strong bones!" "Plain yogurt is the best--none of those nasty added sugars!" Sounds enticing to me, but it turns out that kids are not impressed. A 2014 study found that children are actually less likely to eat a food if they have been told how healthy it is. Just like a kid, right? I witnessed this very phenomenon with my own eyes a few days ago. Saturday morning I baked pumpkin chocolate chip muffins adapted from a quick bread recipe in The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. I switched up the method a bit, subbed in some whole wheat flour, cut the sugar, and trimmed the amount of chocolate chips. The result was delicious -- tender, still sweet, and very pumpkin-y.
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Zucchini bread in a loaf pan

Summer Zucchini Bread Recipe

Updated July 26, 2020 Well, it's August, so that must mean it's time for this zucchini bread recipe. To me, it just wouldn't be summer without it. My mom made it when I was a kid, and every year I bake it to much acclaim from my family. (In fact, today my kid had a friend over while I was baking. She literally asked, "What is that wonderful smell?") We eat it warm out of the oven or spread with peanut butter for breakfast. I will probably make several batches throughout the month and will freeze some for later in the year when we desperately need a taste of summer. Nearly every time I make this zucchini bread recipe I tinker with it a bit. Sometimes I use canola oil, sometimes olive. I might play with different flours, and I almost always trim the amount of sugar. Like most quick breads this batter also bakes up beautifully as muffins. I even included a version in the breakfast chapter of Real Baby Food as Zucchini and Carrot Donuts. Related: Have extra bananas hanging around? Make One-Bowl Banana-Zucchini Bread. Did I mention this recipe is also really easy? There are no special tricks here, just measuring, stirring, and summoning your will power to wait until the bread is just warm before cutting a slice.
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