This is a Test...

Not of the emergency alert system...of your taste buds!!  Maybe not so much yours, more like your man's taste buds.  Every gal knows the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but can you trick 'em into thinking some of their favorite foods are good(ish) for them?!   

I tried this the other day, with a recipe that definitely has my husband's seal of approval: Mema's Absolutely Flippin' Fantastic Banana Bread.  **Mema always has a loaf of this on hand, I swear her freezer is full of 'em!**  For my little experiment, I made two loaves; one was the awesome/fabulous/man pleasing original, the other was Jen's Secret Kinda Sorta Better For You Version.

Here's what you're gonna need.

Note the two ingredients on the far right...they're top/man-secret

For the original:

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla (I'm pretty generous with this, like 2-3(ish)
• 1.5 cups mashed bananas (3 medium sized)
• 1.5 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Cream together margarine and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla, beat thoroughly.  Blend in bananas.  Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt and add to creamed mixture.  Mix well.  Bake in a greased loaf pan for 55 minutes in a 350 degree oven. 

The brown stuff is vanilla, not a turd

Grease the pan!  It's your friend!

What I did differently: 

• Replace the 1/2 cup margarine with 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• Replace the 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup Splenda/sugar blend (I found mine hellaciously on sale at our local Aldi, the most random grocery store ever.  Seriously, you never know what you're gonna find there!)
• I also added some extra banana (like another 1/2 medium banana) just to   reinforce the banana-ness  and complete this super-official experiment (haha).

I wanted to make this experiment completely legit.  It's not good research unless your subject (that you're married too, heehee) is presented with completely unbiased, raw data.  All evidence had to be destroyed!  I rushed home after work, raced like crazy through both recipes, nearly jumped out of my skin every time I heard a truck passed on the gravel road outside our house, and had 'em ready just in time.

Kinda thought the difference in batter color would give me away.

The upper loaf has the pumpkin/splenda mix.  It was kinda orange-y.

But post baking, they looked pretty much the same!  I may or may not have had to keep reminding myself which was which...case of the Mondays.

Oh!  Don't forget to add a cinnamon/sugar/pecan dusting to the top.  It sends this deliciousness right over the edge.

Now for the experiment!  Cut your hubby/man/significant other/friend/neighbor/it-doesn't-really-matter-who a healthy
 slices of each piece.  If you're feeling fancy, milk makes a good palate cleanser!  See what they have to say!  Mine couldn't tell a difference, could yours??  

I think the bottom slice is from the pumpkin/splenda loaf...I think??  I've fooled myself!