Pan of the Month: Silicone loaf pan

 Characteristics:

• Lightweight, flexible, and expands to accommodate batter
• Non-stick cooking (no need to use cooking oil/spray)
• Oven, freezer, refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher safe
• Easy to remove product
• Even cooking without burnt edges or bottom
• Stain and odor resistant
• Heat resistant up to 500 F

Uses:

• Great for baking various types of breads [banana nut, chocolate chip zucchini, cinnamon apple and et cetera] in addition to cakes.

Retailers:

• Bed, Bath, & Beyond: $9.99
• Walmart: $12.98
• Amazon: starting at $8.99

 Similar products:

• In addition to loaf pans, there is a variety of silicone bakeware and other silicone products such as muffin pans, cake pans, ice cube trays, spatulas, pastry brushes, Bundt pans and more.

Health nut banana bread

Yield: 20 servings [serving size: 1 slice]

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup light butter [no salt added], softened

1 2/3 cups mashed ripe banana [about 3 bananas]

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 cup plain or vanilla low-fat Greek yogurt

2 large egg whites

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray [for coating pan]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended.

Add banana, almond milk, yogurt and egg whites; beat well.

Combine and mix fours, baking soda and salt.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating until blended. Spoon batter into a 9×5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray [if using silicone loaf pan, oil or spray is not necessary]. Bake at 350 F for about one hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and remove bread from pan.