Homemade Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

“On a traffic light green means go and yellow means yield, but on a banana it’s just the opposite. Green means hold on, yellow means go ahead, and red means where the hell did you get that banana at?” ~ Mitch Hedberg

As I sit here and write this post my kitchen is filling with the sweet aroma of bananas and cinnamon. I have nostalgic memories of my grandmother whipping up banana bread whenever the days were rough. Have a hard day, no problem; grandma’s going to make some banana bread. It was something she could make that was quick, easy, good for you (what we thought at the time was good for us), and most of all comforting. At times she’d throw in an extra treat, adding chocolate chips and chopped up walnuts. It was the perfect snack, home from a long day at school, I’d warm up a piece of grandma’s banana bread and lather it with some butter and all would be good again.

I’ve brought back grandma’s banana bread but with a twist. I’ve slightly modified her recipe by nixing the vegetable oil, bleached flour, and added in a couple treats of my own with local raw honey, cinnamon, and organic flaxseed meal. It a common snack in my household and my 3 year old kiddo helps often to whip up a loaf. As soon as we see the bananas turning brown everyone is itching for me to make banana bread. This is a recipe that can be modified to your liking. Add nuts, fruits of different kinds, and control the sugar. This recipe once took 1 cup of white sugar. Today I’ve reduced it to a small amount of organic brown sugar & local raw honey. I’m sure you could omit the sugar all together given ripe bananas have a sweetness on their own. You can omit the chocolate or add extra… it’s all in how you like it. I’d like to attempt making a gluten free version.

Around here we like homemade chocolate chip banana bread. Enjoy!

* = organic
^ = local

Homemade Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
325 (f) degrees 55-60 minutes greased & floured 8×11 pan

– 4-5 ripe bananas *
– 3 eggs *^
– 1/3 cup butter, melted *
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
– 1/4 cup raw honey ^
– 1/2 cup brown sugar *
– 3 cups all purpose flour *
– 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal * (optional)
– 1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum free baking soda
– 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
– 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips *

Step 1: In a stand mixer (or by hand if you’re feeling strong) mash 4 to 5 ripe bananas till broken down and creamy.

Step 2: Next crack 3 eggs into a separate bowl to ensure there are no egg shells. On medium speed, add one egg at a time to the mashed banana in the mixer. Mix each egg until fully incorporated to the mashed banana.

Step 3: Next add in brown sugar, honey, and melted butter till fully incorporated with the banana mixture. Stop the mixer, and with a rubber or silicon spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are combined.

Step 4: In a separate bowl combine flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Set aside. On low speed add in the vanilla. Next slowly add in the dry ingredients a quarter at a time to ensure they are fully incorporated to the banana mixture. Again, stopping the mixture and using your spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixture to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Step 5: Next give a rough chop to the chocolate chips allowing for smaller bits to incorporate throughout the bread. On slow speed add the chocolate chips and mix till fully incorporated – do not over mix.

Step 6: Grease and flour an 8 x 11 baking dish.

Step 7: Pour the banana bread mixture into the greased & floured pan. Lightly tap the pan on a surface to ensure the mixture is level. Into a preheated 325 (f) degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes.

Step 8: Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing and allowing to completely cool in a rack.

Slather with butter… and… ENJOY!