Chocolate-Walnut-Banana Bread

I've never been a fan of bananas. In fact, I really detest them, and would never chow down on a banana. I find banana bread, on the other hand, to be quite good, though I've never gone so far as to make it in my kitchen. This month, Cooking Light featured a 4 page spread about creating the perfect banana bread. There were 4 recipes: Basic Banana Bread, Bananas Foster Bread, Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread, and Peanut Butter Banana Bread. I decided to try the chocolate first, since you can't really go wrong, when there's chocolate involved. It's an easy recipe, though I did have to hunt down "flaxmeal," which I conveniently found, lurking in the natural foods aisle at Stop and Shop. Anyway, the end result is a totally delicious, moist, flavorful bread. It has a nice, mellow banana flavor, with a perfect added bite, from the mini chips and walnuts. The glaze, though sticky and messy (thus difficult to carry in a baggie, as a snack), makes a sort of drizzled icing, and honestly, it makes you want to lick the plate. The baked goods I make are usually okay. I don't consider myself much of a baker, especially since I pride myself on making my goodies fairly healthy. This one is a keeper. Now... On to the Peanut Butter Banana Bread... Stay tuned!




Make This.

Banana-Chocolate-Walnut Bread

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate minichips, divided
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted and divided
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons fat-free milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Add sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended.

4. Fold 1/3 cup minichips and nuts into batter; pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Combine remaining 1/3 cup minichips and milk in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over bread.


CALORIES 195 ; FAT 8.9g (sat 4g,mono 2.3g,poly 2.1g); CHOLESTEROL 32mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.3g; SODIUM 174mg; PROTEIN 3.6g; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 1.2mg

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2010