Orange Spice Quick Bread

P.S: Many of the spices in this recipe, as well as the figs, are considered aphrodisiac. yeah... I can bake this. want some?

Orange Spice Quick Bread
Recipe by Michelle Krell Kydd
Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients:
· 2 cups unprocessed bran (aka “Miller’s Bran”)
· 1 cup boiling water
· 2 cups Arrowhead Mills Organic Pastry Flour
· 1 cup oat bran
· ¾ cup granulated organic sugar
· 2 tablespoons non-aluminum baking powder
· 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Penzys Apple Pie Spice
· ½ teaspoon ground allspice
· ¼ teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
· zest of one medium-sized orange
· 1⅓ cups skim milk at room temperature
· ½ cup Grandma’s® Robust Molasses (extra dark, unsulphured)
· 4 egg whites at room temperature
· 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
· 2 tablespoons Penzys Double Strength Vanilla Extract
· 6 large dried golden California figs, chopped (6 ounces)

Instructions:
· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· Grease two 8½ x 4½ x 2 ¾-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Set aside.
· In a medium-sized bowl mix boiling water with unprocessed bran and allow to stand for at least two minutes.
· In a large-sized bowl mix flour, oat bran, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt.
· In a medium-sized bowl mix milk, molasses, egg whites, grapeseed oil, orange blossom water, vanilla, and orange zest. Add chopped dried figs and incorporate.
· Add the unprocessed bran to the wet mixture and stir well.
· Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Combine wet ingredients with dry ones, gently folding until everything is mixed.
· Fill two loaf 8½ x 4½ x 2 ¾-inch pans and bake in the center oven rack for approximately 45-55 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).
· Allow to cool for ten minutes. Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack for an hour.
· Wrap in foil and refrigerate.

carrots and sweet plantain and lentils

(If your nice I might cook this for you.)

Ingredients:
· 16 ounce bag of green lentils, rinsed
· 3 sweet yellow plantain (sliced into discs)
· 2 large carrots (diced)
· 2 large stalks of celery (diced)
· ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
· 1 medium Spanish onion (chopped)
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 4 cups of water
· 2 quarts nonfat, low-sodium chicken stock(veggie stock)
· 2 teaspoons ground cumin
· 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
· ½ teaspoon oregano
· 3 teaspoons epazote
· 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill TVP® (texturized, vegetable protein)
· plain nonfat yogurt for garnish

Instructions:
· Heat olive oil on a low flame. Add onions and celery and sauté until onions are clear.
· Add all dry spices, except epazote. Mix thoroughly, coating celery and onions with the spices.
· Slowly pour chicken stock and water into the pot. Add carrots and sweet plantain, gently mixing all of the ingredients together. Cover the pot and heat on a low to medium flame. Allow contents to simmer until they reach a gentle boil.
· When the soup begins to boil add lentils and epazote, reducing heat to a low setting and covering once again.
· Stir soup every half hour until 1½ hours have passed.
· Add TVP and simmer for an additional 40 minutes over low heat.
· When finished, serve with a dollop of plain nonfat yogurt and fresh cilantro. Heat lovers can add hot sauce to taste.