When life throws you bananas...

It’s becoming a weekly occurance, maybe even more… of buying bananas.  It is a shame that my favorite fruit does not last long!  You have to eat them when they are perfectly ripe. Not underripe when they are green and too hard, but not over-ripe when they just taste mushy…So basically you have about a 2-3 day window when they are perfect.  So after those 2 days, you might be left with brown-spotted bananas.

I have developed a method to get use of the over-ripening bananas.  I put them in the freezer! Either whole or I slice them and put in a sealed container.  That way, I can use them whenever I wish, for ice cream, smoothies, cookies, muffins or breads.

IF you are looking at bananas on your counter that are too ripe to eat…. don’t throw them away.

So just tell yourself…

 "When life throws you too many bananas…make banana bread"

This recipe is healthy and moist. I’m all for indulging in decadent desserts, but when it comes to breads that you will eat daily and not necessarily as a dessert, I think they should be good for you.  This banana bread will be as healthy as that whole wheat toast it is taking its place of… And this recipe that has bananas and yogurt…it is even healthier than your daily wheat bread.  It just doesn’t get any better than that. 

BANANA BREAD

• 1 1/5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup mashed banana
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup non-fat yogurt (or applesauce)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

- Combine banana, egg whites, applesaucse, sugar, vanilla and spices.  Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

- Pour batter into a bread pan sprayed with cooking spray. 

- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or more, until a toothpick comes out clean