BANANA-NUT-CHOCOLATE CHIP QUICK BREAD

The other night I couldn't go to sleep so I found myself going through 6 Eating Well magazines I have saved from 2005.  In the October/November issue, they featured an article called "No-Fuss Gifts from the Kitchen"-- festive loaves, mini Bundts and muffins -- all from one basic recipe by Stacy Fraser.  

Stacy offered a recipe for Quick-Bread Dry Mix that could be made ahead and stored in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.  Then there were recipes for 6 different Quick Breads using the dry mix as the base.  Several looked interesting.  So far I have made two of them.  I am sharing the Banana-nut-chocolate chip quick bread in this post and will share the Pineapple-pecan quick bread later this week.

I made the 3 mini-loaves....ate one and froze the other two to enjoy later.  Dicing the bananas instead of mashing them gave the bread a different look and taste.  I had never heard of dicing the bananas in a recipe before.  It is like having a "burst" of banana when eating a slice.

I used the whole wheat pastry flour, the egg substitutes, and applesauce.  I try to make my recipes with as many healthy options as I can.

BANANA-NUT-CHOCOLATE CHIP QUICK BREAD

Quick-Bread Dry Mix
1-1/2    cups whole-wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour
1          cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2    teaspoons baking powder
1          teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2       teaspoon baking soda
1/4       teaspoon salt
     
     *     *     *     *     *     *
1/4       teaspoon nutmeg
2          large eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitutes
1          cup nonfat buttermilk or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
2/3       cup brown sugar
2          tablespoons butter, melted or 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
2          tablespoons canola oil or 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1          teaspoon vanilla extract
2          cups diced banana
1/2       cup chopped  walnuts
1/2       cup mini chocolate chips

Will make 
     *1 large loaf (9-by-5-inch pan)
     *3 mini loaves (6-by-3-inch pan, 2-cup capacity)
     *6 mini Bundt cakes (6-cup mini Bundt pan, scant 1-cup capacity per cake
     *12 muffins (standard 12-cup, 2-1/2-inch muffin pan)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees for muffins, mini loaves and mini Bundts or 375 degrees for a large loaf.  Coat pan(s) with cooking spray.

Prepare (Whisk together in mixing bowl) Quick-Bread Dry Mix, adding nutmeg to it.

Whisk, eggs or egg substitute, buttermilk, brown sugar, butter, oil, (or applesauce if substituting for butter and oil) and vanilla in a separate bowl.  

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, 

pour in the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

Dice the bananas

Add banana, walnuts, and chocolate chips.  Stir just to combine; do not overmix.  

Transfer batter to the prepared pan(s).  Top with additional walnuts, if desired.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes for muffins or mini Bundts, 35 minutes for mini loaves,, 1 hour 10 minutes for a large loaf.

Let cool in pan(s) for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to continue cooling.