Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I was thinking to myself as I wrote the title to this recipe “should I call it banana bread? Or chocolate chip banana bread?”. It hit me immediately that we all need some chocolate right now, and I wondered why I even questioned adding chocolate chip into the title. Never have I ever made banana bread without chocolate chips anyway. “Never have I ever” also reminds me of a drinking game…maybe we need to play a drinking game too…quarantine ideas…

We’re living in strange times. Sometimes I feel okay about the COVID situation, other times it feels like i’m living in an apocalyptic dreamscape. I was working from home yesterday, and I decided to go for a walk. The streets were empty but for some kids playing basketball. All I could hear was them talking about their birthday plans to go to mini golf, when one of them said “well, it might not happen because of the virus, but my mom says we should go anyway”.

Panic, isolation, and nice weather. It has all been surreal. It’s so beautiful out- sometimes it doesn’t feel like a pandemic. I’m very lucky to have the ability to work from home, although my job in marketing for a healthcare clinic sure doesn’t isolate me from virus news. Work is busy. Yyoga has closed down, which i’m happy about for public safety, although I miss teaching spin and seeing my students’ and friends’ smiling faces! Many people I know are out of work, and I count myself lucky.

I mean, from my perspective, self isolation, and quarantine for some, is an excellent reason to practice rest and self care. It’s a time to have small and intimate gatherings, bake, cook, get sleep, stay in, and save money. It’s also a break for our poor planet, as emission rates have drastically reduced. I don’t want to say anything too radical, but if we want to have lasting environmental change, this slow in our economy and production is what is needed.

I’m pretty famous for always making banana bread, so what better time to share my recipe than now. On my last day of work at the office last week, I was able to take home around 12 ripe bananas that we usually give to clients. This is the first time in my life where we may not have toilet paper…but I have around 12 ripe bananas itching to be made into banana bread….

There are options for this recipe. If you want to make a healthier banana bread, you can reduce the amount of sugar, because the bananas are actually quite sweet. You can also add some protein powder to the flour mixture, and reduce flour accordingly (I usually do that when I make a batch for the work week). You could also not add a thousand chocolate chips…but what’s the fun in that?

This is a super simple recipe, the only thing you need to watch for is making sure that the middle is cooked- so use a toothpick after 40 minutes of baking. If the dough is still raw- keep baking!

Chocolate chip banana bread recipe:

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

4 mashed ripe bananas

2 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar (can reduce)

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon (reduce if you hate cinnamon)

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips (or more)

Chocolate chip banana bread directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350. Melt 1/2 cup of coconut oil in the microwave.

2.) Mash bananas and mix them with the melted coconut oil. Add eggs, brown sugar and vanilla and beat or mix with a wooden spoon.

3.) I do this in one bowl because I can. Pour the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt overtop of your wet mixture and mix until wet and dry ingredients are incorporated.

4.) Add chocolate chips and chopped walnuts, stir to combine.

5.) Grease your pan, I just use oil spray. Place banana bread in the oven for 40 minutes.

6.) After 40 minutes, take it out and test firmess using a toothpick. It may need 5-10 minutes more, but everyone’s ovens are different.