Zesto

VEGAN BANANA BREAD

(But you'd never know it!)

3/4 of a 10oz. package Soft Tofu (use soft only)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (aprox. 2 bananas)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached flour or what have you...
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup pecans or nuts of your choice...chopped
1 tsp. Orange Zesto (rind from 1 orange)

METHOD: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 5"x9" loaf pan Using a cuisinart of electric mixer, mash the soft tofu. Add the oil and combine, then slowley add the sugar until well blended. Add the mashed banana and vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the chopped dates, finely chopped pecans, and Orange Zesto, mixing well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

ITALIAN CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI with LEMON and ORANGE

Makes aprox. 28 biscotti!

3 cups flour
5 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder...yes five plus 1/2 !
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped almonds or nuts of your choice
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted
3 tsp. Lemon Zesto
2 tsp. Orange Zesto

METHOD: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. (190 C). Lightly grease or spray a standard cookie sheet. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a smaller bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well (dough will be quite stiff). Divide dough in two; form into two logs the lenth of your cookie sheet. The logs will be about 13" (32.5 cm) long and 3" (7.5 cm) wide...when I first did this it took me a minute or two to visualize it... Flatten these "logs" so that they are square at the ends and an even thickness throughout their length...this will become important after the first baking as it creates that 'coffeehouse biscotti shape'. Bake about 25 minutes then take out of oven and while still warm, slice diagonally into slices about 3/4" (1.75cm) wide. Turn these slices over so that they are now laying on their sides...in other words, the cut side down now. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F (180 C) and bake for 10 minutes one side then turn the slices over and bake another 10 minutes for the other side. This gives them their crisp 'coffeehouse biscotti' shape and taste! Cool completely then store in an airtight tin.