Banana Bread

Ok, see, I cook sometimes! I had several bananas sitting on my counter that were in danger of hitting the trash can if I didn't do something with them. Enter your standard Banana Bread. Don't get me wrong, I love banana bread with Oreos, and bread with strawberries or blueberries but sometimes you just can't beat the traditional bread with nuts. Yum.

This is my fall back recipe, the one I make when I want it to turn out for sure every time. I've never had it not work so it's good for my self esteem too. The picture is not good for my self esteem but I knew if I waited until morning to take it the bread would be gone.

Banana Bread

1 loaf/16 slices

3/4 c sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 c. (2 med) mashed bananas
1/3 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 c. chopped nuts, if desired
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1. Heat oven to 350.  Grease bottom only of loaf pan. In large bowl combine sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Add bananas, milk and vanilla; blend well.
2. In small bowl combine flour, nuts, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add to wet mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into greased pan.
3. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.

*can also substitute 1 cup applesauce for mashed bananas and add 3/4 tsp cinnamon with flour.

Cal 190; Fat 9 g; Fiber 1 g.

Dressed Up Banana Bread

When I'm trying to eat healthy I am ALWAYS trying to figure out how to have foods that I love fit within the healthy guidelines I'm trying to follow. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Cooking Light is one of my favorite "tools" to make this lifestyle work for me. I have never made a bad recipe that came from a Cooking Light source. Ever. So when I ran across this banana bread recipe I was psyched, I even had some nicely black bananas sitting on my counter begging to be used. So this morning, way too early for a Saturday I might add, I ran down to the kitchen and played mad scientist.

This is a very good version of banana bread, even if it weren't light. The banana flavor comes through, the bread is a good texture without any weird holes in it and I was very pleased with the way it raised into a pretty loaf shape instead of caving in in the middle or not raising at all like some quick breads do. Definitely a do again and again. The sugar on the top is a nice addition but it would be good without as well. Do whatever makes you happy. :)

Dressed Up Banana Bread
adapted from Cooking Light
12 Slices 4 pts/slice

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about three)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tbs brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three small loaf pans (or 2 medium, or one large) with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Beat together sugar and butter in a large bowl.
3. Add eggs and beat well.
4. Peel bananas & mash well.
5. Add to sugar, butter, and egg mixture.
6. Add vanilla.
7. Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, & salt) stirring until mixed in a small bowl.
8. Stir into wet ingredients and beat at low speed just until moist.
9. Spoon into prepared pan(s)
10. Sprinkle top with brown sugar.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour (for one loaf) - shorten the baking time accordingly for smaller loaves.
12. Banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Turn out of pans and continue cooling.

Calories 208; Total Fat 5.0g; Cholesterol 46mg; Sodium 221mg; Total Carbohydrates 37.5g; Dietary Fiber 0.9g; Protein 3.7g

Comfort Eating and Strawberry Banana Bread

Last week was an exercise in comfort eating for me. Yes, I gained 3 lbs. No, it doesn't feel particulary better today with the cold, harsh light shining down on the bathroom scale, but at the time it filled a need.

One of the things that I indulged way too much in was Strawberry Banana Bread. I have a weakness for banana bread that does me in every single time I make it. No matter how much I give away I still manage to eat more than my share of warm bananay goodness! What can I say? I am weak.

This is totally yum with the strawberries. It's also good with blueberries or even just the banana bread by itself. Oh, and you really do have to cool it completely before you dump it out of the pan. It will totally disintegrate if you get too anxious!


Strawberry Banana Bread
Makes 2 loaves. 12 slices each

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups ripe bananas (about 6 medium-size) , mashed
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups flour
1-1/2 pounds frozen strawberries (I like to chop them into chunks rather than slices), thawed

Grease two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Incorporate the bananas and scrape the sides of the bowl with the spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each one. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix tgether the salt, baking soda, and flour. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

Add the strawberries. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack before inverting onto a plate.


Nutrition Facts:
Calories 218; Fat 8.6 g; Cholesterol 51mg; Sodium 267mg; Total Carbohydrates 33.3g;
Dietary Fiber 1.2g; Protein 2.8g