Baking for your Mom can be a great way to show your love. This recipe for banana bread is grain-free and gluten-free, and can also be made with zucchini for those health-conscious Mom’s out there :)

This bread is based on the Zucchini Bread recipe in “The Plantpower Way” by Rich Roll & Julie Piatt. You can use a mix of 6 tablespoons ground flax seeds and 1/2 cup water in place of the eggs for a vegan version.

2 eggs
1 small apple
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut oil
5 dates
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 - 4 frozen or fresh bananas, or medium zucchini
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tablespoon baking powder
Flour mix: * 3 cups of premixed gluten-free flour can also be used
1 1/2 cup cassava flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup arrowroot
1/4 coconut flour
1 teaspoon Pamela’s gum-free baking binder *optional
Spices
1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Place eggs in food processor
Slice apple and blend with eggs and 1/4 cup water
Add dates, sugar, vanilla and bananas and blend
In a separate bowl, sift or mix together baking soda, baking powder, flours, spices and Pamela’s baking binder (if using)
Fold into the wet mixture (or just blend it in with the food processor)
Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes in a baking pan (shorter time for muffins - start at 20 minutes and test for doneness)
Enjoy your homemade banana bread!

Typically, I would make the Martha Stewart version of tomato soup (below), but my sister sent me one that’s a little easier (for the days when you need things to be easy…)

Melissa’s Easy Tomato Soup

1 - 28 oz can San Marzano peeled tomatoes

1 - 14 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes

1/2 onion roughly chopped

4 tbsp butter (or olive oil)

1/2 - 2 cup vegetable broth, cream or vegan half and half

Salt to taste

Put into a cast iron pot on medium for an hour. Use an immersion blender (or a regular blender in batches) until smooth. Add salt to taste. Finish with the vegetable broth or cream - add just enough to bring it to the consistency you like (if you like a less acidic soup, add cream).

So easy and delicious!

Another great tomato soup adapted from Martha Stewart’s Tomato Soup

Martha got it right with this soup recipe. Once you make this simple soup yourself, you’ll agree that buying tomato soup in a can is a shame. Plus you get the added benefit of adding as much (or little!) salt as you like, but if you’re making it for nostalgic reasons, you might as well add all two teaspoons. Let’s face it – some of us were raised on the canned stuff (and we love it!)

If you want to feel good about your salt, try Celtic Sea Salt or this amazing Norwegian Sea Salt from Salty Provisions - Double the magnesium, nearly triple the potassium over other brands. Hand harvested from the crisp, clean Norwegian Sea.

Try this soup with a delightfully simple gluten-free grilled “cheese”! Seen here with bread from Wheat’s End and vegan “cheese” from The Dill Pickle Food Co-Op.

New Development!

If you chill on the reheating of this soup, it makes a fantastic gazpacho. Top with some fresh basil and you're ready to go on a hot summer day!

Makes 6 cups

5 - 6 T coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
24 ounces jarred or canned plum tomatoes
3 cups veggie broth
1 - 2 t sea salt to taste
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1 t nutritional yeast (optional)
dash turmeric (optional)

Melt oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic and turmeric, and cook (stirring) until onions have softened (about 15 minutes). Add tomatoes, veggie broth, salt, pepper and yeast, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tomatoes, onions, and garlic are soft (10 to 20 minutes).

Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until soup is heated through. If soup seems too thick, stir in some extra broth to thin. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!