Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Studying all day can get a little old – so I really needed a change in my routine.  I figured something new for breakfast would be a start.  I secretly bought more bananas then we could eat,  hoping some would end up “banana bread worthy” by the end of the week.   And after avoiding the bananas all week, there were 4 bananas left on their last leg by Friday.  Since I plan on eating this bread for breakfast,  I figured what would be better than adding a little peanut butter to boost the  protein, and the flavor.  I found this recipe on Joy’s blog, which also happened to call for ground flax seed – more protein, more fiber – good stuff.  After finishing off the raspberry bars in a ridiculously short time, I decided I needed to make a snack with a little more sustenance.

Then of course I had to go and ruin a perfectly healthy morning breakfast by adding chocolate chips to the batter.  They were calling my name from the pantry, and I just couldn’t resist.  I didn’t add too many. Promise. But really you could eat it for dessert if you so desire. You could also try adding butterscotch chips, or peanuts, or walnuts – or whatever happens to be calling your name from your pantry.  I think next time I’m going to put both chocolate chips AND chopped peanuts – because I really love that peanut flavor.  That’s one of the reasons this recipe calls for natural peanut butter – it has a much stronger peanut flavor than Jif.

This is a quick bread, and rightly named.  It doesn’t take much time to make, and you don’t even need to get the mixer out.  It’s pretty much just through all the ingredients in a bowl, mix, and bake.  It’s moist and flavorful  enough to eat just plain, but of course John likes to add butter to his.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread (with Chocolate Chips)

• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4)
• 1/3 cup plain or vanilla fat free yogurt
• 1/3 cup creamy all-natural peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup whole wheat flour + 1/2 cup all purpose)
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 scant teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of allspice
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, or chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine all the wet ingredients – bananans, yogurt, peanut butter, melted butter, and eggs.  Mix with a wisk. Then add the brown and granulated sugar and stir.

Then add the flour, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice to the wet ingredients.  (You could also mix the dry ingredients separately in another bowl to start, but I don’t think it’s necessary).

Mix until no lumps remain and then stir in chocolate chips, or your mix-in of choice.

Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean.  Let cool slightly in the pan, and then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.  Removing the bread from the pan lets the air circulate, so moisture doesn’t condense in the crust – which can make the bread tough.

Check out those chocolate chips – yummmm.

Adapted from Joy the Baker, Originally adapted from Cooking Light