Foodie Tuesday for Teens – Zucchini-Banana Cake

Today’s Foodie Tuesday recipe comes from a fantastic teen cookbook called Eat Fresh Food – Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs written by Rozanne Gold and her All-Star Team.  Check out the book, it’s full of beautiful pictures and fun tips!  Adding zucchini is a great twist on classic banana bread and just one more way to get more healthy vegetables into your diet.  Imagine a steaming warm slice of this bread with a cup of tea at breakfast time.  Mmmm I can almost smell it!

“Very Moist Zucchini-Banana Cake”

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini, about 10 ounces
• 2 extra-large eggs
• ¾ cup turbinado sugar
• 2/3 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 very ripe medium banana
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 1 ½ cups self-rising flour

Directions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Wash the zucchini and dry; do not peel.  Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater to get 2 cups.  Using your clean hands, squeeze the zucchini dry.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high for 3 minutes.  Add the oil, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat for 30 seconds.  Peel the banana and break it into small pieces.  Add the banana to the bowl.  bEat until the banana is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the zucchini and raisins, then slowly add the flour and mix well.
  4. Lightly oil a nonstick 8×4-inch loaf pan.  Pour in the batter and bake for 45 minutes, until fim and golden.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Turn bread out of pan and slice.

(Recipe from Eat Fresh Food – Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs written by Rozanne Gold and her All-Star Team, published by Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books)

Did you make this recipe?  How did it turn out?  Want to bring some by the Go Folic office…?  🙂

Foodie Tuesday – Collard Greens Wraps

Looking for something fun and different to do with your greens?  Try this quick and easy twist on a standard wrap or burrito.  Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese, and a good source of vitamin E and zinc.  They also contain good amounts of (you guessed it) folate!

Directions –

• Wash collard green leaves and cut out the portion with the thickest stem. 
• Quickly steam until the leaves soften and turn bright green.  This should take no more than one minute.
• Add your favorite filling (see below) and wrap like a burrito.  Fold over once, then fold in the two sides, then roll the wrap until it forms a nice cylinder shape.

Fillings – The possibilities are endless!  Some of our favorites are listed below:

• Cooked black beans, spanish rice, raw red pepper, and monterey jack cheese
• Black quinoa, sauteed onions, and raw purple cabbage
• Lean turkey sausage and sauteed mushrooms
• Curried potatoes, green peas, and golden raisins
• Tinga de pollo (shredded chicken in red salsa, pictured above!)  This link from whatscookingmexico.com also has some great pictures of the assembly process!

Like this recipe?  Like us on Facebook and tell us how you cook your collard greens wraps 🙂