Peanut butter banana bread

I have always loved peanut butter. As a kid, I would only eat the chunky kind, and later on switched to the creamy camp, where I still am now. I even remember trying peanut butter soup on a family vacation once. Bananas, on the other hand, I never really liked until a few years ago. It turned out that all it took to change my mind was smelling bananas one morning when I was very, very hungry. I started craving them immediately that day, and still enjoy them now. It's strange how tastes can change so quickly.

Once I started eating bananas more often, I quickly discovered how good the combination of peanut butter and bananas is. So when I saw this recipe for peanut butter banana bread in the October 2010 issue of Cooking Light, I couldn't believe that I hadn't thought of it before! I knew it was going to be delicious, and it didn't disappoint. The peanut butter adds a nice nutty flavor, and the peanut pieces add good texture. Regular banana bread is good, but I think this is even better!

Obviously bananas are not local to MA, but this is one of those recipes that I wanted to post about anyway. As for modifications, I used white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose, like I always do for quick breads. I also substituted 1/2 cup applesauce for some of the banana, since I didn't have enough banana around. It worked out really well - the bread still tasted like banana (not apple), but the banana flavor wasn't too strong. I'll probably do the same thing next time. Finally, the original recipe also included a peanut butter glaze, but I left that out - I knew the glaze wouldn't store or freeze well. 


Peanut butter banana bread
Adapted from the October 2010 issue of Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (I used 1 cup banana and 1/2 cup applesauce)
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tbs butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6.75 ounces white whole wheat or all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 tbs chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Combine banana, yogurt, peanut butter, butter, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with a mixer. Add white and brown sugar and beat until well combined.

Whisk together flour, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl. Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture and beat until just blended. Stir in peanuts. Coat a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray, and pour batter into pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cook 10 minutes in pan, and then remove bread and continue cooling.