PB-Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

There are few things better than the smell of baked goods in the morning. To partake in this experience, you could either a) walk through the snow (yep, snow in March... I know...) to Lucia's Bakery and spend $4-5 on a pastry and coffee, OR b) throw together a loaf of banana bread with random ingredients from your pantry and those bananas that are slowly deteriorating in a bowl in your kitchen.
We all know what this means in baking land... BANANA BREAD!! Preferably with peanut butter. And as long as we're abandoning all reason, let's throw some chocolate chips in there too. In full disclosure, I did not have regular PB on hand so I used PB&Co's White Chocolate Wonderful and cut down the sugar.


The resulting bread is moist, substantial and delicious. It is also officially guy-approved (if I weren't already engaged to Ben I think this bread would have done it). Seriously, make this now. NOW. DO IT. Sorry for being so demanding, I just want the best for you.


I couldn't handle waiting for it to cool before cutting it, so some of the slices turned out more like piles. Delicious, toasty piles of banana-chocolate awesomeness, but piles nonetheless. By the way have you seen my Harry Potter mug? I think it's probably the greatest thing ever.


I also apologize for eating half the slice before getting a picture of it, but what can you do?


In other news, I now have a sink full of dishes. In OTHER other news... I won't have to deal with sinks full of dirty dishes much longer because... drumroll... we are moving to a NEW APARTMENT! With a DISHWASHER!!! I honestly can hardly contain my excitement. We won't really officially move until May when Ben gets back, and my current lease isn't up until June but the credit checks are clear and the lease is ready to sign!

I'll put up pics as soon as I can...and get ready for lots of geeking out over new furniture and rugs. Can't wait!!

And I guess you will probably be wanting that Banana Bread recipe.... :)

PB-BANANA BREAD WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS
Adapted slightly from Joy the Baker

Dry Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or regular WW flour)
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
3/4 tsp baking soda
scant 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8-1/4 tsp ground allspice

Wet Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (if you come out slightly less than this amount, as I did, fill the remainder with applesauce or yogurt)
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Add-Ins:
1/4 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts (unsalted)
1/2 or so bag of chocolate chips

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.

In a less-large bowl, mix together the banana, PB, yogurt and melted butter. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla and sugars until no clumps of sugar remain. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together with a rubber spatula.

Add in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips and mix until incorporated (but do not overmix). Pour into a buttered and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake at 350 for about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before running a butter knife along the edges and removing to a wire rack to cool completely**.

This bread will last well-wrapped at room temp for around 4 days, or alternatively if you have leftovers (doubtful) the loaf can be wrapped and stored in the freezer.

** I did not follow this step.