It's baking season after all. I was craving banana bread. So, naturally, I made three different kinds because I was determined to try a bunch of recipes and combinations. (Instead of reading my textbooks devotedly.)
First up: a banana bread recipe from Cooking Light. I threw chocolate chips in even though they weren't called for. I told myself I was just using up the last of the bag and the end of the plain nonfat Greek yogurt, but really it was just an excuse to not do schoolwork.
Well, that bread was enjoyed thoroughly but I thought it was a little dry. What can I really expect with a low fat content?
Next came the recipe from a homemade recipe book a school put together. You probably have a few of them too. They're the ones where parents and family members contribute their favorite and best recipes for some kind of fundraising event. Ours is from the early 90s meaning I virtually grew up with it. The recipe didn't disappoint. Made with canola oil instead of butter and yogurt, this bread is so soft and resists the drying effects of a few days with ease. Blueberries made their way into this batch, and, to illustrate how bad my avoidance behavior has become, I even shaved banana and carefully placed them over the top before transferring the filled pan to the oven.
For breakfast the next morning, I toasted a piece and smeared it with some red wine blueberry preserves I made over the summer to have with my tea. Of course that had to be Instagrammed and rubbed into my friends faces. (It was divine, in case you're wondering).
And the culmination of my banana bread making arrived in the banana bread with chocolate chips and strawberry swirl inspired by chocolate covered strawberries. The basic banana bread recipe came from a Good Housekeeping cookbook but I made a few adjustments based on my previous two quick-breads. Canola oil was used again since it kept the blueberry banana bread so tender but I skipped the spices it called for and used a touch of vanilla. The chocolate chips were an easy addition but the strawberry swirl was a little tricky. I wasn't sure how batter would react to the extra liquid.
I blended about a cup and half of strawberries with a teaspoon of sugar and let it sit while I made the batter. Once the batter was prepared, I poured half into the pan then added the blended strawberries. Using a butter knife, I marbled the strawberry mixture and batter before adding the reserved half and marbled again.
For an experiment, it turned out wonderfully. I wish the strawberry swirl could have been more vivid but looks hardly matter when it tastes so good. The strawberry doesn't overwhelm the banana and its subtlety is a delight when combined with the chocolate chips. All together, it makes for one fabulous treat.
While that's it for the procrastibaking this time, be prepared for the next level of crazy that avoidance has brought me.
