Less is More

Sounds contradictory, but it's true. Come to think of it, the same could be said about a lot of things in life. But this adage - "Less is More" - is one that holds very true for me, in a lot of different areas of life:

In conversation: oh yeah, definitely better to hold back! Less is more.

Or in home decor: gaudy and/or cluttered are totally not my thing! Less is more, at least for me.

In personal style: I like to think of myself as classic (plain Jane?). Less is more.

Oh, and let's not forget that little thing called "Weight". Yep, definitely, less is more.

In fact, I can only think of one instance where it doesn't fit, and that's chocolate. Oh, and maybe coffee, too, but I definitely have my limits there. No, on second thought, chocolate's the only thing - at least the only tangible thing - where more is more.

I especially feel strongly that less is more when it comes to sugar: you've probably noticed that if you've read any of my blog posts. I try to limit sugar as much as possible because it's good for my health... and my waistline! A long time ago, I found a little chart that shows the minimum amount of sugar per cup of flour you need in various baked goods. I was surprised to see on the chart that quick breads and muffins only need 1 (yes, ONE) TBSP of sugar per cup of flour. Almost every quick bread recipe I find calls for scads and scads of sugar, so I admit I was extremely skeptical about that whole idea. However, the rest of the chart has been very accurate (Except in the case of brownies - my DH doesn't like my brownies because I have reduced the amount of sugar in them. I actually like them because they have a stronger chocolate taste... which, actually, is the exact reason why he does NOT like them!) in all my baking endeavors, so I really have no reason to mistrust it in this instance.

My skepticism was rooted so deep that it has taken me several years to actually put it to the test. I had some bananas that fell out of their peels (long story) so I needed to cook them up into something, and the only something I was in the mood for was banana bread. The recipe I used called for 2/3 cup of sugar, which isn't exactly scads and scads, but I still felt like it was excessive. I've been counting my calories and exercising regularly lately, and I didn't want to ruin all my hard work with too much sugar!

So I finally did it! I made a quick bread using only 1 TBSP of sugar per cup of flour! Actually, I used 1 TBSP of honey and 1 TBSP of sugar, but I still stuck to the basic principle. I have to admit I was mildly disappointed with my first bite - it wasn't as sweet as I was expecting (duh!). But as I took another bite, and another... I discovered that I was actually tasting banana bread: not sugar bread, but banana bread. The smaller amount of sugar actually allowed the flavor of the bread to shine through instead of drowning it out in sweetness. The subtle sweetness of the bananas themselves also added to the flavor. The real test came, though, when my DH ate a slice. Remember, he does not like me messing with the sugar content of brownies! In fact, he doesn't really like me messing with the sugar content of anything: the sweeter, the better (to him, Less is definitely NOT More!). Do you know what? He said, with absolutely no prompting from me, that the banana bread was very good. And he proceeded to eat 2 big slices. He never guessed that I reduced the sugar.

Success!!

I dare you to try it. See for yourself if less really is more.

Less is More Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 or 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup plain yogurt
1 TBSP honey
1 TBSP sugar (or use 2 TBSP sugar and skip the honey)
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix together the butter, eggs, bananas, yogurt, honey and sugar until blended. The mixture will be rather lumpy; that's OK. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then stir them into the banana mixture just until blended. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Place pan on wire rack to cool for 5 or 10 minutes, then carefully remove bread from the pan.

Wow, that was QUICK, wasn't it? Mix the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, throw them together, bake it, done. The whole thing finished in an hour or less.

EASY, too. Even a beginner cook can handle a basic quick bread like this.

Yes, and CHEAP, especially when you consider you're salvaging what would otherwise go into the trash (over-ripe bananas). And, since you're using less sugar than you would normally, your'e saving money there, too.

Because of the reduced sugar and the use of yogurt and whole wheat flour, this banana bread recipe is HEALTHY, too. In fact, I can eat it for breakfast without a twinge in my conscience!