a little baking, a little shopping

I did manage to salvage a couple of the lemon bars I made the other night for a photo:

I've always loved lemon bars, and these are a HUGE hit with Dan. I'll have to remember this for our camping trip over his birthday, since I'm guessing a lemon merengue pie won't travel very well!

I also made some pumpkin bread (for breakfasts/snacks) yesterday:

I took great care in revamping this recipe to make it a little healthier, but still taste amazing, because in my opinion, pumpkin bread isn't pumpkin bread without a little low-fat cream cheese spread on top. :)

Recipe . . .

Whisk together:
2 whole eggs plus 3 egg whites (or egg replacer equivalent to 4 eggs)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup agave nectar
16-ounce can of pumpkin

Combine, then stir into above:
3 1/3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (I bet spelt flour would work well, too)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp nutmeg)
1/2 tsp salt

Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch loaf pan, and bake for 1 hour at 350. Cool partially in the pan, before removing to a wire rack.

I also made a trip to the co-op yesterday:

Where are the green vegetables, you ask? I'm going to the farmer's market today, so there will be green vegetables, no worries. :)

The loot . . .

BULK:
organic walnuts
local, organic, whole-wheat bread flour
local, organic, whole-wheat pastry flour
locally-roasted, organic, fair-trade coffee
organic, fair-trade natural granulated sugar

CHEESE:
local Neufchatel

HERBS & SPICES:
local, organic black peppercorns

PACKAGED GROCERY:
Reeds ginger candy
organic white vinegar
organic applesauce
artichoke hearts
LaCroix sparkling water
spicy veggie juice (a treat for Dan, since it was on sale)
organic pumpkin puree
organic extra-virgin olive oil
organic lollipops (lunchbox treats!)

PERSONAL CARE:
Burt's Bees conditioner

PRODUCE:
organic bananas
organic golden kiwi
organic lemons
organic cherries
organic plums
organic ginger root

Posting again soon . . . with Farmer's Market loot!