Pasta Gone Bananas

Following the success of my sweet banana flour experiments, I knew there was still more ground to cover. Since green bananas have more starch than sugar, being harvested and processed before they have time to ripen, the flavor inherently lends itself to more savory preparations.

Little did I know that banana pasta was a legitimate thing when I embarked on this mini project. Alas, I couldn’t find any hints about their formula, but it wasn’t too difficult to dissect. This was all before I got my trusty pasta maker, which makes it an excellent low-tech way to ease into gluten-free pasta making if you’re not ready for the full investment. I believe it could be adapted to the machine with a little tweaking of ratios; if you give that a shot, let me know!

Is Banana Flour Pasta Healthy?

Compared to whole wheat pasta, banana pasta is higher in protein, lower in fat and calories, and even cheaper to produce. As an added bonus, it’s keto– and paleo-friendly, too. This is a pasta everyone can enjoy, regardless of allergies, intolerances, and dietary restrictions.

What’s The Best Way to Serve Banana Flour Pasta?

As seen here, it doesn’t take much to dress up homemade pasta of any sort. I went with a generous handful of garlic sauteed in olive oil, with crisp green asparagus and snap peas thrown in at the very last minute. It’s simple, fresh, and full of flavor.
You can’t go wrong with a classic red sauce, vodka sauce, cheese sauce, alfredo, or pesto. Rich and creamy or light and bright; all flavors are complimentary to this fairly neutral base.
For those hot summer days, don’t forget pasta salad! Immediately shock the cooked pasta in ice water to stop the cooking, then toss with vegetables and your favorite vinaigrette for a picnic-ready side dish or entree.

Can Banana Flour Pasta Be Made In Advance?

You bet! You can store the prepared dough in the fridge, wrapped tightly in plastic, for up to 24 hours before rolling out.
Once shaped, you can freeze the pasta on a sheet pan, arranged in a single layer. Once solidly frozen, transfer the pieces to a zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 1 year. Cook normally without thawing.

Honestly, the hardest part of this whole recipe is having the patience to cut and shape the pasta. You could always skip the bow ties and just cut straight spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine to speed ahead to the good part: Dinner time!

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June 10, 2022June 10, 2022

Hannah (BitterSweet)8 Comments

Macha, Macha, Wo/Man

I distinctly remember my first encounter with salsa macha because it was a completely confounding experience. Staring at this strange, violently red jar of oily seeds, it was introduced to me as “seed salsa.” Up to that point, “salsa” had only been used to describe mixtures of finely minced vegetables, sometimes fruits, accompanying Mexican food. Usually tomato-based, fresh and punchy, I couldn’t connect the dots between that condiment and this one.

Taking the tiniest spoonful to test the waters, I watched rivulets of glistening toasted seeds ooze down my plate, soaking into everything it touched. One bite, and I was hooked. Instantly regretting that timid serving, I bellied up to the bar again and again, dousing my entire meal until my lips tingled and my nose turned red from the heat. It’s the good kind of pain the unlocks all sorts of endorphins, creating an undeniably addictive experience.

The allure owes something about the combination of textures and tastes, with toothsome, crunchy seeds tumbled together in this slick miasma of fiery, nutty, tangy oil. It doesn’t sound like it should work on paper, but it exceeds all expectations in real life. Suspend doubt long enough to give it a try, stop trying to put it to words; you’ll understand in an instant.

What is salsa macha?

Consider it Mexican chili crisp; spicy, savory, and impossibly addictive. Salsa macha is an oil-based condiment that goes with just about everything. It was born in the Mexican states of Veracruz and Oaxaca. As one might guess, the name is derived from the feminine version of “macho,” resulting in gender ambiguity, and its base recipe is ripe for tweaking.

Naturally, I had to take my rendition in a completely inauthentic direction that most people would say has gone off the rails. Sorry, not sorry. It all started with an extra bottle of everything bagel seasoning, when I realized that half the ingredients I needed were all neatly bundled together within. Why not take that idea and run with it? Thus, Everything Bagel Salsa Macha was born.

Most salsa macha recipes are at least slightly blended after cooking, but I wanted mine totally chunky and extra crunchy. You could always pulse the mixture briefly in the food processor to break it down a bit, or completely puree it for a smoother sauce. Make it your own! The only rules for salsa macha is that it must contain chilies, seeds, nuts, and oil. Everything else is up for interpretation.

How can you use salsa macha?

Basically, anything edible is a viable canvas for this chunky, seedy salsa. A few of my favorites and top suggestions for this particular variation include:

Bagel with cream cheese
Avocado toast
Tofu scramble
Hummus
Pizza
Pasta
Rice pilaf
Grilled or roasted vegetables

Like some of the best things in life, the flavors in salsa macha continue to develop and deepen over time. It’s fantastic right away, enjoyed while still warm, but continues to improve over the coming days. Don’t try to keep it too long, though; the garlic and seeds prevent it from keeping longer than 1 – 2 weeks in the fridge without turning rancid. Of course, that deadline is unlikely to pose a problem. I can barely keep a jar around for more than three days.

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June 3, 2022June 3, 2022

Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Stuffed to the Gills

Some vegetables were made to be stuffed. Open, empty cups, yearning to be filled, they’re more than just an anonymous vehicle for egregious amounts of dip. Meaty caps to really sink your teeth into, even simple little button mushrooms can transform the average appetizer into an elegant canape.

Popularized around the mid 20th century, these fun guys have a relatively short gastronomic history, but have been the life of the party ever since. No matter what savory delights you find packed into the center, a warm, roasted mushroom with concentrated umami flavor can do no wrong. Bonus points for being a naturally compact finger food, self-contained and perfectly portioned.

Lightening the load of what tends to be a very rich heap of cheese, cream, breadcrumbs, and/or sausage, these baby bellas are filled with everyone’s favorite culinary chameleon: Cauliflower! Simmered until meltingly tender, a quick mashing makes them indistinguishable from less healthy fare. Redolent of vibrant lemongrass and basil, it’s hard to resist eating straight out of the pan by the forkful. Truth be told, you could easily serve this stuffing in place of mashed potatoes, but mushrooms really do take it to the next level.

This recipe was inspired by Kevin’s Natural Foods Lemongrass Basil Sauce and is my entry into the “Eat Clean. Live Happy. Blogger Recipe Challenge.” Like all of these products, my recipe is proudly paleo, keto, gluten-free, and sugar-free. You can get more information and inspiration on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Don’t wait for a special occasion to make stuffed mushrooms. Even if you’re just throwing a party for one, the small amount of extra effort will really make your taste buds dance.

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November 16, 2020November 16, 2020

Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

Breaking the Rules

Though I wouldn’t necessarily call myself out-and-out rebellious, I just hate rules. Especially when those rules are so pointless that following them only leads to close-mindedness. Sound a bit out there? Bear with me.

Every case of food snobbery I’ve witnessed thus far has revolved around certain unwritten commandments against preparing food differently than it is traditionally, or “properly” done. Just think about that for a minute… Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? Where would we be if no one deviated from the recipe, whether it be with an additional pinch of nutmeg or by switching out the flours for something different entirely? What about modern fine dining? Do you think these chefs learned how to use methylcellulose from their grandmothers, that knowledge passed down through the generations? I could be wrong, but I think not.

Of course, when confronted with such revolutionary concepts and approaches, it may still take some time for me to warm to the idea. Gazing into the refrigerated cases recently at a vegan cafe, something on the top shelf caught my eye: Raw falafel. Defined as “a fried ball or patty made from spiced chickpeas and/or fava beans“, it was hard to grasp how this creation before me was related, as it was neither fried nor made of chickpeas. In fact, it wasn’t even cooked at it; It was raw.

However, at the end of the day, the question was not, “Is this a falafel, or isn’t it?” but “How on earth did they make this thing?!” It was simply delicious, no matter what you called it. And that is the reward of successfully breaking the foods rules.

Rushing home to recreate this new found delight, I was already breaking the rules again in no time.

Drawing inspiration from those revolutionary bean-less falafel, but tweaking the execution to my liking, my spiced spheres are actually baked, but could just as easily be made raw if desired. Just slightly crispy on the outside, but lusciously tender and moist on the inside, they’re a welcome change of pace from the typically heavy, often grease, fried variety.

I served mine up in a quick little salad with a drizzle of tahini dressing, but they’re perfectly at home in a traditional pita bread as well, if you must.

Yield: Makes About 30 Falafel

Sunflower Seed Falafel

Skip the beans and try seeds to shake up your falafel routine! Lightly crisped on the outside but lusciously tender and moist on the inside, they’re a welcome change of pace from the typically heavy, often grease, fried variety.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Raw Sunflower Seeds, Soaked Overnight (or at least 8 hours)
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Chives, or 1 Scallion
2 Tablespoons Tahini
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1 – 2 Cloves Garlic
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
Pinch Paprika

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Pull out your food processor or blender and toss in everything except for the paprika. Pulse, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl to get everything incorporated, until the mixture is the consistency of a rough pate or chunky peanut butter.
Using a small cookie scoop, or two spoons, portion out 1 rounded tablespoon of the sunflower paste per falafel onto your prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle just a tiny pinch of paprika on top of each raw falafel, and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes, until lightly browned.*
Serve warm, or let cool and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

*To make these raw, simply pop them into a dehydrator instead. I’m no expert on these things, but it could take between 6 – 10 hours. Just keep checking on them (and let me know about your results!)

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 42Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 456mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

January 8, 2010September 18, 2022

Hannah (BitterSweet)65 Comments