Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

By Pattywak

Since I always have a glut of black bananas in my freezer, I threw a few into a bowl of hot water to quickly thaw, and made the standby two minute potato masher banana loaf that has become a near-daily ritual around here. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll have the batter mixed up before the oven is preheated. I toss all manner of ingredients into these loaves, since everything goes so well with banana – nuts and seeds, coconut, dried fruit, chocolate – I always add a glug of flax oil too boost omega 3s (a teaspoon has as much as a filet of salmon!) and let me tell you, banana bread is pretty spectacular toasted with peanut butter with coffee first thing in the morning.

Ingredients

• Two -Minute Banana Bread
• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1/2-3/4 cup sugar
• 2-4 Tbsp. canola, olive or flax oil
• 2 large eggs
• a big splash of vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour (I usually use half all-purpose, half whole wheat, oat or quinoa flour)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• a handful of chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, raisins, coconut, fresh or frozen blueberries (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla with a potato masher – don’t worry about getting all the lumps out. It will look sort of cottage-cheesy.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until almost combined; add any additions and stir just until blended. Spread into a buttered 8”x4” loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes, until golden and cracked on top and springy to the touch.