Fruit-filled Banana Bread

Sometimes in life, our good intentions drive us to over-buy on produce. Then we have cabbage rotting in the crisper, wilted kale and celery, oranges drying out on the counter, or brown-spotted bananas on the table. But this is not always a bad thing. Wilted veggies can be put in the freezer to become vegetable stock at a later date. Fruits that aren't moldy can be juiced or put into smoothies. And my favorite thing to do with mushy, old bananas is to make banana bread. This is why I never worry about buying too many bananas, because I know the ones that get old and turn brown are going to be made into a delicious breakfast or anytime treat! If I only have one, I put it in the freezer until I accumulate 3 or 4 bananas. Then it's game on. For this version I got the basic recipe from Simply Recipes and added some extras of my own.
Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or blackberries)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Step 1: Mash the bananas in a bowl. Add the wet ingredients: egg, butter, vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, blueberries and cherries. Pour the wet into the dry and mix well.

Step 2: Spray an oven-safe bread pan with oil, and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until browned on the outside and a fork comes out clean in the middle.

This bread is soft on the inside with a perfectly crunchy top crust. The blueberries and cherries are chewy sweet surprises in every bite! I think this bread is perfect for adding all sorts of fruit goodies, you could use any berry you like. Healthify it with whole wheat flour, or add flax seeds. Use splenda or nutrisweet instead of regular sugar. Use applesauce instead of an egg to make it totally vegan. The possibilities are endless!

And for only 228 calories a slice, this is a great grab-and-go breakfast or evening snack to ward off a sweet tooth without breaking the calorie bank.

 

	Nutrition Facts   12 Servings Amount Per Serving   Calories 228.3   Total Fat 5.8 g       Saturated Fat 3.4 g       Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4 g       Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g   Cholesterol 29.1 mg   Sodium 147.7 mg   Potassium 167.5 mg   Total Carbohydrate 42.1 g       Dietary Fiber 1.7 g       Sugars 22.2 g   Protein 3.2 g   Vitamin A 4.3 %   Vitamin B-12 0.8 %   Vitamin B-6 10.9 %   Vitamin C 6.1 %   Vitamin D 1.7 %   Vitamin E 1.4 %   Calcium 0.9 %   Copper 3.6 %   Folate 11.8 %   Iron 6.5 %   Magnesium 3.9 %   Manganese 10.4 %   Niacin 7.3 %   Pantothenic Acid     2.1 %   Phosphorus     4.1 %   Riboflavin 9.3 %   Selenium 10.7 %   Thiamin 12.1 %   Zinc 1.8 % *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

 

Featured cookie: Cranberry Nut Sugar Balls

As I was researching easy recipes for my earlier Tuesday's post, I came across several I wanted to try. However I don't have the time, money, or calorie allowance to try them all. So only 2 or 3 will get chosen and featured in December. This one came up repeatedly with variations, and I had most of the ingredients already so I decided to give it a try with my own version. 

Ingredients:
1 cup powder sugar (+ extra)
2 sticks of butter, melted
2 egg yolks
1 cup nuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt

Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the powder sugar, butter, and cocoa powder until smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Use a spatula to scrape down the sides. Add the egg yolks and 1 tbsp vanilla and mix again. I saved the whites for the next day's breakfast.

Step 3: In a blender, combine the nuts and cranberry and pulse until you get a paste-like mixture. You can use whatever kinds of nut you like, I had cashews and almonds.

Step 4: Mix the nut/berry and flour into the chocolate/sugar/butter mixture. The dough will be sticky and very thick. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Step 5: Drop by teaspoons onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, or until solid.  

Step 6: Let cool completely, then roll in powdered sugar.

These light little sugar balls are mostly solid but a little crumbly. The cranberry's tartness is enhanced by the nuttiness, subtle cocoa flavor, and sweet, smooth powdered sugar. They are the perfect size to pop in your mouth, try to keep track of how many handfuls you've had!

Do you have any favorite cookie recipes to share?