guest post by Chanelle Richardson
Let’s talk about breakfast. Who has time to prepare a wonderful, healthy, amazing breakfast on a school morning?
My solution? Make it ahead of time. Be prepared.
One of my favourite options for a quick breakfast is homemade banana bread.
I like to make two loaves at a time, wrap one tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it, and keep the other in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge. Every morning, open fridge, take out banana bread, grab some fresh fruit, pour some juice or milk into sippy cups (and sometimes I even do that step the night before!), serve. Go find something other than pajamas to throw on before we run out the door. The end.
This is my Nana’s recipe, originally titled in her commanding, all-caps handwriting “MOM’S BANANA BREAD – THE BEST!” – and it really is the best. Nana didn’t mess around when it came time to bake in her little kitchen. I miss her.
Here is my take.
(heh heh, you like that?)
For one loaf:
(easily doubled)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup margarine or butter (nucor or earth balance is a good vegan alternative)
- 2 tablespoons flax meal mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water *
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about three bananas)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup unbleached flour
- 1/4 cup wheat germ
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (optional)
*note: the flax meal mixed with water is a substitute for two eggs in the original recipe. it works the same way eggs do to bind the bread, but if you prefer, feel free to use two large eggs instead.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or butter and flour the bottom and sides.
- Cream first six ingredients.
- Sift remaining dry ingredients into the creamed ingredients and gently fold in nuts.
- Pour into the loaf pan and let rest about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake for about one hour, or until golden brown, and tester inserted into center of bread comes out clean.
- Leave in pan a few minutes, then carefully remove onto a cooling rack by the parchment edges, or gently slide a plastic knife around the edges and invert onto rack if parchment was not used. (This is where lining the pan with parchment comes in VERY handy so you don’t have to do all that sliding and tapping and praying that the bread doesn’t come out of the pan in pieces. I’m just sayin’ is all.)
- Store in a airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to a week in the fridge, or freeze up to three weeks.
- And enjoy all that extra time you now have to get ready in the morning.
love,
chanelle
About Mom Spark
I was actually looking for a good bread recipe…I’ll try it this week!! thank you!
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I love banana bread. Thanks for the recipe.
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Looks yummy, Chanelle.
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yum…i am going to try to make this sometime this week….thank you for posting!
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That looks delicious thanks for sharing!
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I have some overly ripe bananas right now. I can’t wait to try this!
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Looks wonderful as always Chanelle!
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I am all over it. Making banana bread TODAY.
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oh, i am so happy! i would love to hear how you all like it.
thanks everybody!!!
~chanelle
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I also make burritos and egg mcmuffins. Wrap them in foil (spray with pam first)and freeze them. Pop them in the toaster oven or conventional over while you are getting ready! You can make breakfast for a week or so.
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Sounds a lot healthier than kind I usually make. It’s from my friend Shamala, and it includes chocolate chips. Not exactly the breakfast of champions, but soooo good. Ok, I don’t even eat that first thing in the morning (too sweet!), but yours could be breakfast. All that to say, I’ll have to put flax meal on the shopping list.
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Hey Mary!
First off I want to say that banana bread looks yummy!!! And I also wanted to say thank you so much for voting for MB on Divine Caroline!
I’m sending you lots of fabulous love your way! Mmmmm, lol….our cupcake soaps are very delish…and utterly adorable! You’ll definitely love ‘em.
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Banana bread rocks in just about any incarnation! This reminds me that there are a bag o’bananas in my freezer just waiting to be cooked into something lovely.
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