Banana Bread - Yum!

April 23, 2010

As you probably figured out by the title, I am baking banana bread today.  I am actually a few days tardy in making it.  Why you ask?  Well, because I have bananas sitting on my counter that are no longer lightly speckled with brown spots, but totally covered in brown spots. In other words, these bananas are beyond gross for eating (too mushy for my taste), but absolutely perfect for banana bread.



My lovely bananas



The recipe I use for banana bread is one I found during my dietetic internship.  I was in my sports nutrition rotation and had read about a sports dietitian named Nancy Clark.  Of course, I had to buy her book and I think I read the whole thing in a day.  (In my next life I am coming back as a professional athlete!)  In the back of the book there are a bunch of really great recipes for athletes.  I stumbled upon the banana bread recipe and fell in love.

This recipe is good!  It is simple to prepare and is a satisfying healthier version of the greasy, sugary original.  I make a few of my own modifications, which I've included below, otherwise, it turns out great every time.  Thank you Nancy!!!

The next time you have super-ripe bananas sitting on your counter, don't throw them away, make banana bread!

Banana Bread
Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook

3 large ripe bananas
1 egg
2 Tbs canola oil
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla *

1/4-1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon*

1 1/2 cup flour (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour*)

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped*

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mash bananas with a fork.


Makin' a double batch. My bananas in a bowl.

 

Mashed banana (I'm sure you didn't need a caption for that one)



3. Add egg, oil, milk, vanilla, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder and cinnamon.  Beat well. Stir in nuts.

4. Gently blend flour into the banana mixture, stire 20 seconds, or until moistened

Half whole wheat, half all-purpose....so healthy! 

5. Pour into greased loaf pan.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.

*indicates my modifications

So delcious warm right out of the oven.