Healthy Holiday Baking

I have never been much of a chef. I don't really enjoy cooking. It is just not my thing. Several different times of the year, I will make a certain food or snack. Around Halloween, I will make a Popcorn Party Mix. I will make a pecan or pumpkin pie around Thanksgiving. During Christmas Break, Whitney and I always make Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread. Sometimes, we will bake an extra loaf or two for a neighbor or a teacher.

For the past year, I have been looking a food differently. As I was buying the ingredients for the chocolate chip banana nut bread, I decided to make a healthier version of my recipe. No white flour, less sugar, and dark chocolate chips.

This is the original recipe. I have no idea where it came from originally. It is hand written in my cookbook. But if I had to guess, I would say it came from a magazine article.

2 cups All Purpose Flour                                                             Calories 260
1 cup Sugar                                                                                  Total Fat 12.61 g
1 tsp Baking Powder                                                                          Sat Fat 3.74 g
1/2 tsp Baking Soda                                                                            Tans Fat 1.05g
1 tsp Salt                                                                                      Cholesterol 29.26 mg 
1 cup Mashed Ripe Bananas - 3 small bananas                           Sodium 178.34 mg
1/2 cup Crisco                                                                              Total Carbs 33.28
2 eggs                                                                                                   Dietary Fibers 1.22
1 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips                                                     Sugars 19.17
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts                                                             Protein 3.9 g

This will make 2 loaves, about 16 1-inch slices.


My New Improved Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour                                                           Calories 205
1/2 cup Sugar                                                                                Total Fat 12.13 g
1 tsp Baking Powder                                                                           Sat Fat 7.38 g
1/2 tsp Baking Soda                                                                            Trans Fat 0
1 tsp Salt                                                                                        Cholesterol 26.44 mg 
1-1/2 cups Mashed Ripe Bananas - 3 large bananas                     Sodium 84.1 mg
1/2 cup Coconut Oil                                                                      Total Carbs 23.38  
2 eggs                                                                                                   Dietary Fiber 2.87 g
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips                                                             Sugars 10g
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts                                                             Protein 4 g

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of two loaf pans. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and walnuts; blend well on medium speed. Stir in chocolate chips and Walnuts. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

My pictures are out of order, technical glitch! Oh well

Walnuts & Dark Chocolate Chips

Whole Wheat Flour & Less Sugar

WW Flour, Full Sugar & Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (Left) WW Flour, Less Sugar, & Dark Chocolate Chips (Right)

Before Baking

Before Adding Dark Chocolate Chips & Walnuts

Whole Wheat Flour & Coconut Oil

I was very pleased with the outcome! You can taste a difference. The original version is way sweeter.  I made 2 regular loaves, 2 low sugar loaves, and 2 loaves of banana nut bread only. I used whole wheat flour and coconut oil in all 6 loaves. Whitney could taste a difference in the low sugar loaves but had no idea of the substitutions in the other loaves.

Listen to ME, Life...I guarantee that even though Jeff's throat gets scratchy, red, and a little swollen; he will eat several pieces of banana nut bread. Pin It