I had an entire loaf of banana bread and no one around to eat it. Rather than just simply eat it slice by slice I wanted to try something different.  I had a craving for french toast so I figured why not try it with the banana bread? I made it a bit healthier than traditional french toast by not dipping it in egg but rather using soymilk and flour and topping it with fresh berry compote as opposed to syrup. If you’re not familiar with compote, think of it almost like a fruit stew; a bit chunky but still liquidy. I guarantee it’s just as good if not better than traditional french toast

Banana Bread (Note: I had already made this bread myself but you can also purchase from the store if you’d like — if you buy from the store skip down to the french toast instructions)

- 3-4 ripe bananas smashed (you know when it’s ripe when the outer peel is completely or nearly all brown)
- 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup melted butter (or unsalted margarine)
- 3/4 cup sugar (raw sugar or sugar substitute)
- 1 egg (egg substitute)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- dash of salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a mixer (or you can do by hand with a spatula/wooden spoon in a bowl) mix butter and mashed bananas. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Then add all the dry ingredients: baking soda, salt and flour. Mix all ingredients together. Butter or spray non-stick spray to your load pan. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until the bread passes the toothpick test. Then remove from oven and allow to cool. Remove from bread from pan and slice.

French Toast-ing
- 1 cup plain soy milk (or you can use vanilla)
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- unsalted margarine

Heat a pan on medium-high heat. Melt some unsalted margarine in the pan. In a shallow dish add soy milk, flour and cinnamon. Gently whisk to incorporate flour into milk. Dip each slice of banana bread in soy milk mixture. Place each slice on buttered pan. Cook until golden brown and then flip over to other side. If you need to add more margarine continue to do so. Once both sides are golden brown remove from pan and plate

Mixed Berry Compote
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup fresh raspberries
- 1/4 cup fresh strawberries with the tops cut off and quartered
- 1/4 cup sugar (raw sugar/sugar substitute)
- 2 tbsp water

heat a small sauce pot on medium-high heat. Add berries and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add water and sugar and allow sugar to full absorb in the liquid. Cook for 2-3 more minutes to allow to thicken. Remove from heat an allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Ladle immediately after on top of banana bread french toast & enjoy!

I had a little bit of a debacle with some store bought pie crusts. Namely they started to tear when I was ready to use them. They were no good for pies or cakes with all the tears but I didn’t want them to go to waste.  I decided to rummage around our pantry and see what I could come up with. I threw together a few ingredients and ended up with something quite tasty

- 1 store bought frozen pie crust thawed and rolled out
- Nutella
- handful of butterscotch chips

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. With the pie crust rolled out generously spread Nutella all over crust leaving a little bit of room at the end so it’s easy to roll. Sprinkle butterscotch chips across Nutella covered crust. Just keep away from edges. Take one and of the pie crust and beginning rolling. Once you have a roll place seam side down on a nonstick pan or spray a pan with non-stick spray. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Slice and serve and you’ll have an extra sweet treat.

1735 Vine Street
Los Angeles, CA 90028-5248
www.avalonhollywood.com

uWink
6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
www.uwink.com

Uwink is located in the Hollywood and Highland Complex and is a cool innovative restaurant that you can definitely have fun at.  Although the lighting is low, the overall feel is like the cool new trendy sports bar in town.  The purpose behind the restaurant is to allow you and your party to order food (at your own pace i might add) via touch screen monitors built into the tables. Not only is this extremely convenient since you don’t have to wait to be waited on, it also gives you all the options of adding and taking out whatever you want with your food AND drinks. So, if there are any mistakes, you have no one else to blame but your yourself.  The menu consists of your general all-American dishes: burgers, pastas etc.  The service itself is relatively quick — just be sure to request silverware when you order because yes, it is something you need to “order”. While you wait there are an assortment of games you and your friends can play against each other for free up to 1 hour. Once you’re finished each person can pay individually or for other people in their party right there at the table. Gives splitting the bill a whole new meaning. Speaking of the bill, the restaurant is moderately priced considering it’s Hollywood. Drinks run at about $2.75 and average cost of a dish is $11. The downside to uWink is simply, well the food ain’t THAT great. I went on a couple occassions and ordered different items both times and the food was just subpar. However, if you’re looking for a relatively fun and inexpensive experience to pass the time before heading down to Avalon then it’s a cool hangout. Overall grade: B

I had some leftover white beans from a dish I had made, not a whole lot left maybe about a little less than a cup. It was at the point where I had to either use them up or throw them out. I hate being wasteful when it comes to food so I definitely wanted to use the beans up but in what? Then I thought about creating a hummus. After all it’s just beans and olive oil and super super quick and easy to make. It’ll take all of 5 minutes of your life

- 1 cup white beans rinsed
- 1 small garlic clove (go as small as you can with this since 1 cup isn’t a whole lot in the end)
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor or blender drop in beans, garlic, salt, pepper and about 2 tbsp olive oil. Hit blend. Keep adding olive oil until you get a nice creamy consistency. Once you have the desired consistency take out into a bowl and serve with pita bread or chips. Quick, easy snack

- 1 round store bought pizza dough (I got mine from Trader Joe’s)
- 1 small can tomato paste (6 oz.)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup torn basil leaves
- 1 cup store bought pre-sliced pepperoni (you can have more or less depending on how much pepperoni you like
- 1/4 cup sliced bell peppers
- 1/4 cup sliced onions
- 2 cups shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You can buy pizza dough at any grocery store, although I like Trader Joe’s the best. I always see on Food Network them saying how they just ask for dough at their local pizza place. Now I’ve never done this nor have I seen anyone do this and frankly I find it kind of awkward. So if you share the same sentiments just stick to going to the grocery store. Roll out the pizza dough into a circle on a floured surface so it doesn’t stick. Make sure it’s even all around. Spray a pan with non-stick spray and place pizza dough on it. I like to bake the dough for a few minutes before I put toppings on it in order to ensure that the crust isn’t too soft especially in the middle where sometimes it tends to get soft. Place in oven for 4-5 minutes just to get the dough cooking.

While dough is in the oven, heat a small pot on medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Saute garlic for 1-2 minutes. Then add tomato paste and water and stir until it’s not super thick. Keep adding water to make it thinner if you wish. Add basil, salt and pepper and stir altogether and remove from heat.

Remove dough from oven. Ladle sauce all over pizza leaving enough room on the edges so that you can hold it to eat once it’s done. Top generously with cheese. Add peppers, onions and pepperonis. Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes or until crust is crisp and all cheese has melted. Remove from oven, slice and serve

- 1 box red velvet cake mix
- 3/4 cup melted butter
- 1 egg (egg substitute)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 jar storebought caramel topping

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a baking pan (preferably 9×13 for this), spray non-stick spray. In a bowl combine all wet ingredients (egg, butter, water). Then add cake mix. Using a mixer (or you can stir) combine all ingredients until all lumps are gone and it’s a smooth batter. Pour into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Once brownies are done remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Once it’s cooled using a tray or large plate, place on top of pan and flip over. It should come out smoothly. Here’s the easy part. Heat jar of caramel topping (most found in grocery stores come in microwaveable safe jars) for 25 seconds. Remove jar from microwave and pour about half the jar on top of brownies. Use a spatula to spread caramel evenly.

Allow to sit for about 10-15 more minutes to allow caramel to set. Then eat and enjoy.