Morgan’s banana bread is still your favorite recipe and so good you won't even know it's healthy! Whole wheat flour, naturally sweetened with honey and our organic certified extra virgin olive oil instead of butter. This recipe will satisfy your cravings without feeling guilty!

Ingredients

• 3 overripe brown bananas, peeled and mashed

• 1/3 cup Villa Graziella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 3/4 cup honey

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, optional

• 1/2 cp dark chocolate chips, optional

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Lightly spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until well combined.

4. In a separate large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon, until just combined. Do not over-mix.

6. Fold in walnuts and/or chocolate chips, if using.

7. Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean

8. Allow to cool in loaf pan before slicing

9. Enjoy!

**Tip: If your bananas aren't quite brown yet, place them on a cookie sheet and pop them in the oven at 300 degrees. Keep a close on eye on them and take them out once brown. 

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Graziella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Graziella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team Villa Graziella Organic

clientservice@villagraziellaorganic.com

We are a little late celebrating National Pumpkin Day, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy these healthy pumpkin muffins. Did you know pumpkin has been found to lower blood pressure, protect your heart, boost vision, make you feel fuller, and help your sleep?? These pumpkin and olive oil muffins are delicious, and healthy (always a bonus)! These little muffins are made with whole wheat flour too, which makes them light and fluffy. They are delicious with almond butter spread on top to add a little protein. 

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup Villa Gabriella Organic extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup honey
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, allspice, or cloves 
• 1¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
• ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats, plus more for sprinkling on top

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit & fill muffin-tin with muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. Add eggs, and beat well. Mix in the pumpkin purée and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice or cloves.
3. Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. If you’d like to add any additional mix-ins, like nuts, chocolate or dried fruit, fold them in now.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the twelve muffin cups. For these muffins, it’s ok to fill the cups a little higher than you normally would. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of oats, followed by a sprinkle of cinnamon. Bake muffins for 23 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
5. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack. Enjoy muffins as is or with a spread of nut butter or regular butter

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellallc.com

Recipe source: http://cookieandkate.com/2014/healthy-maple-pumpkin-muffins/

Lavender...not only for spring! As Fall is upon us and the Holidays are right around the corner, Samantha introduces us to something non-traditional for your Thanksgiving table. This olive oil and lavender cake will leave a lasting impression on your guests! 

Ingredients

For the Citrus Olive Oil Cake

• Butter or nonstick cooking spray, for the pans
• 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3 large eggs 
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk 

For the Lavender Simple Syrup 

• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender 

Whipped Cream

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 

Make the Citrus Olive Oil Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom and set aside. 
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the oil, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed until combined. Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. 
4. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on medium for no more than 30 seconds after the last streaks of the dry ingredients are combined. 
5. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let them cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.

Make the Lavender Simple Syrup 

1. Place 1/2 cup (120 ml) water and the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the lavender. Simmer until the mixture is reduced and syrup-like, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep until cool. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and discard the lavender. 

Make the Whipped Cream 

1. Transfer the cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk it on medium speech until it starts to thicken. Add the sugar and whisk on high until it holds medium peaks. For best results, store the whipped cream in the refrigerator until ready to use and assemble the cake just before serving. 

Assemble the Cake 

1. Once the cakes have completely cooled, generously brush each layer with the simple syrup. Choose which layer will be at the bottom and place it on a cake plate or serving dish. Spread on half of the lavender cream and top it with the next layer of cake. Use an offset spatula to create a rustic finish on top of the cake with the remaining lavender cream. 

For more inspiring recipes, follow @samlovescheese on Instagram! 

Recipe source: "Layered" by Tessa Huff. 

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Samantha Bronfman, a talented pastry chef in Irvine, CA. You can either find Samantha with her adorable French Bulldog (Roxanne) or in the kitchen making another beautiful creation of hers. It all started when she got hooked on shows from The Food Network & the rest is history. She hopes to one day open up a small bakery in California. Read on to learn more about Samantha's background, her favorite ingredient, and what we can expect from her in the future. 

Tell me about your love of baking & creating pastries? Where did it come from? Did a family member teach you? "I think it started because I grew up in such a healthy home, my parents were vegan, so my diet was very restricted. I would watch Food Network and cake decorating shows. I thought it was so beautiful. When I was 22 years old, I decided to go to pastry school and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have always loved it, but I just wanted to get really good at it."

How & where did you learn to become such a talented baker & accomplished pastry chef? "I went to the Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale, AZ in 2014."

What kind of baker are you? Do you follow a recipe word for word or is there a lot of improvisation in your kitchen? "Baking is a science. The measurements are extremely important, however I do play around with combinations of flavors."

What is your “go to” baking recipe? "I am obsessed with anything that includes brown butter!" 

What is your go to baking ingredient? The ingredient you cannot live without? "A really good butter. A lot of people substitute shortening or other fat products, but it would never taste the same!"

Do you ever bake with olive oil? How do you like to use olive oil? To dress, drizzle or finish? "I use olive oil if I find a delicious recipe that calls for it. Any baked goods that use olive oil, have amazing textures and are soft and moist, so it is a great addition."

What delicious new creation can we expect from you in the future? "I am always trying to get more creative with the flavors and find interesting combinations that people wouldn't expect. I also like to make more refined versions of the classics. For example, If you are going to have a s’mores recipe, you can toast it up with a meringue. Little switches like that, make it that much better!"

Stop by the blog tomorrow to catch the incredible olive oil & lavender cake she made for us. And for more delicious photos, follow her on Instagram @samlovescheese

Have you ever thought about swapping out butter in a brownie recipe for olive oil? We tried using our Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the result: delicious. The olive oil subtly shines through and complements the nutty flavor from the pistachios. Not to mention, it is much healthier & makes it okay to eat three...or four brownies in one sitting! 

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate (70-75%), finely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
1/3 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 in. baking pan with parchment paper, lightly butter parchment. 

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

Combine olive oil & chopped chocolate in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat & continue to gently stir until smooth. 

Whisk in granulated sugar until incorporated.

Whisk in eggs (one at a time), whisking until batter is smooth. Whisk in vanilla extract. 

Sprinkle dry ingredients over top of melted chocolate mixture & stir together. Stir in chocolate chips & most of pistachios-- saving a tablespoon for topping, if desired. Spread into prepared pan, smoothing batter at the corner. Sprinkle with pistachios, as desired. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Cool for 1 hour before slicing into squares. 

Tried, Tasted & True! At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature. While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think.

We welcome your comments & feedback!
Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA
clientservice@villagabriellallc.com

*Recipe adapted from: http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2015/10/olive-oil-pistachio-brownies.html