Tag: antioxidants

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The MIND diet… is it the missing piece to preserving our mental health?

By Donna Rose RDN, LDN Is the MIND diet the ‘secret sauce’ for avoiding dementia? Over the course of their lives, some adults have periods of forgetfulness. For instance, they can’t find their keys, or where they put their eyeglasses. Their busy lives keep them [Continue Reading]

Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms May Include Muscle Loss in Older Adults.

Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms May Include Muscle Loss in Older Adults.

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Recipes with Aronia Berries…try this one with Banana bread!

Recipes with Aronia Berries…try this one with Banana bread!

Recipes with Aronia berries have made their way into my kitchen!

Aronia berries are native to and grown in the eastern part of North America. Initially, Native Americans used these berries to cure colds. They are small dark berries in the Rosaceae family. They grow in wet areas or swamps and eaten raw, they have a very dry and sour taste. Today the berries are used in the commercial production of jams, wine, and juice.

I made this Aronia Berry and Banana Bread by adding the berries to my favorite banana bread recipe.

Aronia berries are small dark berries with health benefits.

A superfood

Aronia berries are a powerful superfood. In other words, they are rich in antioxidants, battle harmful free radicals, and therefore have become increasingly popular for their health benefits.

Consequently, they are showing up more and more in home kitchens. Recipes with Aronia berries have a tasty “tang”, beautiful color and texture. Experiment with them. For example, add them to cakes, pies, bread, and smoothies to boost flavor and nutrition.

In the marketplace or on the farm

Recently, my husband brought home a large basket of Aronia berries from Distillery Lane Ciderworks (DLC), an apple orchard, and farm in Jefferson, Maryland. He is the cidermaker there on weekends and processes the best hard cider! But that is a story for another post.

While Aronia berries are not yet available in all supermarkets, I have seen them in Whole Foods. On their websites, MOM’s Organic Market and Trader Joes also mention them.

I wasn’t aware they had Aronia berry shrubs on the farm at DLC and was excited when my husband brought them home. Having some ripe bananas that needed to be used, I decided to make an Aronia Berry and Banana Bread.

Quick to mix up

All the ingredients were ones I had on hand, therefore it was super easy to mix them up quickly. I literally added all the ingredients, except the berries, into one bowl. Then I mixed everything until it was well blended. Next, I gently folded in the berries being careful not to crush them.

I spooned the batter into the lightly greased bread pan and topped it with the slivered almonds. Adding almonds gives the bread a little more fiber and helps lower cholesterol. Always trying to make it healthier!

I put the bread on the center rack of the oven which I preheated to 325 degrees F. After about 30 minutes, the aroma in the kitchen was amazing and the bread was looking great! I took it out of the oven after 50 minutes when the top was nicely browned and the edges were pulled away from the sides of the pan.

The end result was delicious! The bread is moist. Both the banana and Aronia berry flavors are evident and blend well. The almonds on top give it a nice “crunch”. Next, I plan to try an Aronia Berry and Raw Apple Cake and Aronia Berry Oatmeal cookies. Stay tuned!


Aronia Berry and Banana Bread
Print

Aronia Berry and Banana Bread

Delicious bread packed with healthy antioxidants!
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword almonds, antioxidants, aronia berries, bananas, healthy, quick
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 212kcal

Equipment

  • 9" x 5" bread pan
  • Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Ingredients

  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 cup All purpose flour
  • 1 cup Whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup Aronia berries
  • 3 med Bananas, mashed
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds (about 20)

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease bread pan.
  • Mix all ingredients except the berries, until well blended.
  • Fold in the berries, being careful not to crush them.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and top with slivered almonds.
  • Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan.
  • Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, remove from pan.

Nutrition information: Calories: 212, Total fat: 6.6 grams, Protein: 4.1 grams, Cholesterol: 16.4 mg, Sodium 12.3 mg, Sugar: 14.7 grams, , Fiber: 3.0 grams


Aronia Berry and Raw Apple Cake

Aronia Berry and Raw Apple Cake

This moist Aronia Berry and Raw Apple Cake, chuck-full of antioxidant-rich Aronia berries, will send you back for more! Autumn is just around the corner and with it comes apple season. The time of year that reminds me of mom’s delicious pies and apple crisps. [Continue Reading]