Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Yummy and healthy?  Yes, indeed!  This is another recipe from King Arthur Flour’s Whole Grain Baking.  This recipe is easy and produces a dense, slightly sweet, satisfying loaf.  One slice fills me up for breakfast (until the next craving kicks in).

I used mini chocolate chips instead of walnuts, due to an allergy.  But nuts or raisins could be added as well.  Whatever floats your boat!  The book also has instructions for making the bread into muffins, which freeze very well.

So the next time your bananas are going a little south on the counter, consider making this yummy healthy treat.  😉

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large or 3 med/small very ripe bananas
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (I like semisweet)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add baking soda, salt and vanilla, beat well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add honey, and mix well.  Scrape down the bowl.
3. Break bananas into chunks and add to batter bowl.  Beat well until almost smooth.  Scrape down the bowl.
4. Add flour all at once, and beat on low until combined.  Add chocolate chips and stir well.  Remove bowl from mixer, and give it one final stir by hand.
5. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan, using a rubber spatula to smooth out the top.  Bake 50 minutes.
6. After 50 minutes, lay a sheet of foil over the top, and continue to cook another 10 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Mine took the full 15 minutes.
7. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.  Loosen the sides with a butter knife, then turn the loaf out onto the cooling rack.  Cool another 30 minutes before slicing.
8. Store in an airtight container.  I like to heat mine up in the microwave before eating.