Easy-On-Your-Conscience Banana Bread

Gotta love that golden brown.

There’s creating good food. And there’s managing the food. This post will help you to achieve both. 

My yummy banana bread recipe combines great taste, ease and a baked good you can feel good about eating. It has little saturated fat, and it’s a great value—you get a decent portion, and a great deal of pleasure, for the calories. Enhance with the addition of nuts or ground flax for omega 3’s and fiber, or a handful of chocolate chips (just because). It’s great either way. Trust me, I’ve made every possible combination over the years.

Yes, I went for the added nuts! But it's great without, too.

As for managing around such a delectable baked good? First, allow it to cool. Then slice it into ten evenly cut slices. Don’t do this when you’re hungry! And do it when you’re not alone! Wrap each slice, first in plastic wrap, then in foil. For those more environmentally sensitive, skip the foil and place all individually wrapped slices into a Ziploc bag. Place in the back of the freezer, so it’s not the first thing that catches your eye when you’re looking for the chicken.

Decent size, especially on this little plate, no?

Ready to try a piece? Place it on a small plate, and microwave reheat. Sit at the table, in the kitchen or dining room, perhaps with a cup of tea or milk, and enjoy! Shut the TV, remove the newspaper (and the kids), and eat it with all your senses!

Easy-On-Your Conscience Banana Bread
(10 servings)

Ingredients

The more ripe the sweeter, allowing less added sugar.

Pam, or other oil spray
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive or canola oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 large bananas, very ripe, almost rotten, mashed
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

Love my Kitchen Aid. But hand mixing works fine for this!

(1/2  cup walnuts, pecans, ground 

flax or chocolate chips, optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a bread pan (12 X 4 ½ X 2 ½) with an oil spray.

Combine the wet ingredients and blend thoroughly.

If mixing by hand, separately mix the dry ingredients.

It took 65 minutes in my oven. But start with 60.

Add dry ingredients to wet ones. 

Blend.

Bake for 1 hour. Test for doneness using a toothpick or skewer (if it comes out wet, bake for another 5 mins and retest).

For those on meal plans, 1 slice counts as 2 grains and 1 fat serving.

Enjoy!

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