Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Have been wanting to try this bread for months now – the original torn out recipe from Cooking Light was totally crumpled. SO glad I held on to it, though, as it was scrumptious and perfect for the miserably cold Sunday that it was yesterday. Technically it was dangerous more than it was “perfect” as I kept hacking at it with a fork every time I had to pass through the kitchen. Switch the laundry? Hack hack. Look at the squirrels in the backyard? Hack, hack, hack. My husband has an iron-clad self control so he had a piece or two and was content – my hacking added up to at least 4 slices.

I think it was the glaze – most banana bread doesn’t have a glaze, and it should. Glaze is good. This bread came together super quickly, baked just as it should, and fell easily from the pan. It seemed to get better as the hours passed, more dense and sweet somehow. The ingredients are fairly basic and I found that I had them all on hand. You could certainly swap the flour for a whole wheat variety – and let me know if you do! Allspice might be a spice you don’t have in your pantry, and it’s definitely worth buying. It is not a blend, as it’s name suggests, but it’s ground from a berry – it’s flavor is like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. If you don’t have it and don’t feel like running to the store, use a pinch of nutmeg and clove instead. Lastly, if you’re missing peanuts just skip – I am positive this bread will work fine without them.

For a little extra pizzazz, skip the glaze and spread each slice with this:

cream cheese spread

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Adapted from Cooking Light

1 1/2 c. mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)

1/3 c. plain fat free yogurt

1/3 c. creamy peanut butter

3 tbsp. veggie or canola oil

2 eggs

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. ground flaxseed

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/4 c. chopped, roasted peanuts

Cooking spray

Glaze

1/3 c. powdered sugar

1 tbsp. milk

1 1/2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine banana, yogurt, peanut butter, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer until smooth.

3. Add sugar and brown sugar and eat until blended.

4. In another mixing bowl, whisk flour, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, and spices until blended.

5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat on low speed with electric mixer until just combined.

6. Stir in peanuts.

7. Spray a 9 or 10 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and add batter to pan.

8. Bake on center rack in oven for 55-60 minutes or until bread springs back in the center when touched.

9. Let cool (in pan) on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

10. To make glaze, combine all sugar, milk and peanut butter and whisk until smooth.

11. Spread over bread and slice.