Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread

This recipe is based off of the Chocolate Banana Bread that I posted this summer on my blog. 

           

Instead of cocoa powder, here, you melt unsweetened chocolate squares. You can find them in any baking section of the grocery store. 

My mom made this bread in small cardboard bread tins and brought them as a hostess gift to a dinner party. 

If I were going to get this bread, I would host a dinner party every night.

         

Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread

•  2 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup nonfat vanilla or plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup organic unsweetened applesauce
• 2-3 mashed overly ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 ounnces (two 1-oz. squares) unsweetened chocolate
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (more for sprinkling on top)
• 1 big handful of milk chocolate chips

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan, muffin tins, or small loaf pans. (You can buy cardboard disposible loaf pans and you bake the bread right in them).

- Blend together eggs, yogurt, vanilla, applesauce, and mashed bananas. 

- Melt chocolate and stir into the wet mixture.

- Sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, cocoa, and salt. Add to the wet mixture and stir together. Add chocolate chips and toasted walnuts.

- Pour mixture into bread pans and sprinkle remaining walnuts on tops. 

-  Depending on the size of the loaf pans, you will probably bake the bread from 35-45 minutes, but keep checking it.  Stick a toothpick to make sure it will come out clean.  Take out when it is done and let cool.

- Store bread in airtight containers or wrap in plastic wrap.  I like to put them in the refrigerator. You can also store them in the freezer if you do not eat or share it right away.

        

Slice. Share. Enjoy.