Banana Ricotta Toasts With Pecans Dates And Honey Food

BANANA-RICOTTA TOASTS WITH PECANS, DATES, AND HONEY

Steps:

• Spread ricotta on toast. Top with banana, date, and pecans. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and some pepper.

SWEET POTATO TOAST WITH RICOTTA, BERRIES, HONEY AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Slice off the 4 long sides of each of the sweet potatoes so the potatoes are squared off and sit flat on a cutting board. Slice the potatoes lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks, about 5-inches-by-2-inches (you should get 3 planks per sweet potato). Combine the sweet potatoes and melted butter in a medium bowl and toss gently to coat. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast, flipping halfway through, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Remove the sweet potato toasts to 2 plates.
• Top the toasts with the ricotta, berries and almonds and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately.

RICOTTA PANCAKES WITH BANANA-PECAN SYRUP

Steps:

• For the Banana-Pecan Syrup:
• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the nuts and saute for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the bananas and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the syrup and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until the syrup is hot and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside in a warm place.
• For the Ricotta Pancakes:
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together onto waxed paper or a plate. Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer or whisk until stiff but not dry. Beat the egg yolks, milk, and ricotta together in a large bowl until well blended and smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix gently with a large spoon. Stir a spoonful of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites with a rubber spatula.
• Warm a serving platter in a 200 degree F oven.
• Heat a nonstick flat griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot. Grease with butter or vegetable oil. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter per pancake onto the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, or until bubbles form on the surface, then flip the pancakes over using a large wide spatula. Cook on the other side for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the pancakes to the warm platter.
• Serve immediately or hold in the oven while you cook the rest of the pancakes. Serve the pancakes on heated plates topped with the syrup.

CREAMY SPICED OATMEAL

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and water with the spices and bay leaf over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and steep for 2 minutes. Add the oats and cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats are tender, between 5 and 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and cover for a minute. Discard the bay leaf and whole spices. Portion into bowls and drizzle with maple syrup, then top with the bananas and almonds, if desired. Serve immediately.