sweet cinnamon banana bread.

Do you remember the first meal you ever cooked? I do. It was scrambled eggs. Yep, scrambled eggs is the meal that got me hooked on cooking. I think I made scrambled eggs every week for months! After I perfected the art of eggs, I moved on to banana nut bread. My mom still has the recipe in her recipe book. I like that about her.

This recipe is not the original, but this one is pretty fantastic! I had leftover bananas browning away after I made smoothies last week and tweaked another recipe to make due with the ingredients I had on hand. This bread turned out dense and really moist with the most delicious sweet cinnamon flavor. I think the use of coconut oil in this recipe is what made it so perfect so, if you have coconut oil use it please! If you're concerned about going out to buy coconut oil for just one recipe I have good news! It can be used for so many things other than cooking. Use it as a deep conditioner in your hair, as an in-shower moisturizer, to soften your cuticles…I could go on and on. Try it out! You'll be hooked for sure. 

Sweet Cinnamon Banana Bread

adapted from this recipe from The Clever Carrot

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 overripe bananas

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. 

In a separate bowl mash bananas into a puree. 

Add sugar, egg, vanilla, and oil to the banana puree. Mix well.

Fold the flour into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.

Add batter to prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Bread is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Top your banana bread with butter, cream cheese, or my new favorite topping - greek yogurt. The tang of the yogurt pairs perfectly with this bread since it is so sweetly cinnamon. 

Enjoy!

pumpkin chocolate chip bread.

So, I guess it's time I start posting some seasonally appropriate content. After last week's posts about vacation essentials, and beach pictures I was determined to make something fall-related to share this week. My original intent was to post some yummy pumpkin spice coffee creamer, but the recipe I tried was a major disaster. The good news? I made something even better! Pumpkin chocolate chip bread.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

recipe from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Makes 2 loaves

31/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree or 1 3/4 cup homemade puree from this recipe ( i made my own)

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 oz bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare your pans.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the pumpkin and oil until combined. Add the sugar and whisk until combined. Whisk in the eggs on at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add 3/4 cup of room temperature water and whisk until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet being careful not to over mix.

Divide the batter between two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean - about 1 hour 15 minutes. 

Remove loaves from the oven, and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Remove loaves from the pans and let cool completely on wire racks.