BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD

Makes 1 loaf or 15 muffins Not often, but sometimes, your bananas get overripe before you eat them. Don’t let them go to waste because of a few freckles or bruises! You can freeze them for use in our Hawaiian Vacation Smoothie or you can make this wonderful warm and moist banana bread. We promise it’s so good you might even let your next bananas get overripe on purpose so you can make it again! INGREDIENTS • 1 C (35°F) almond butter (or MaraNatha brand sunflower butter) • 4 eggs • 1 overripe banana, chunked • 1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon • ½ tsp baking soda • ¼ tsp salt • 1/3 C (35°F) mini chocolate chips INSTRUCTIONS AND HOW KIDS CAN HELP 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. In food processor or blender, purée all ingredients except chocolate chips together until smooth, scraping the side of the bowl to incorporate all of the nut butter into the batter (some small banana pieces may remain). 3. Fold chocolate chips into batter gently with a spoon or spatula. 4. Pour into greased (we use Spectrum coconut oil spray) loaf or scoop ¼ cup batter into each cup of muffin pan. 5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes for a small loaf pan or 15-18 minutes for muffins. 6. Store chilled for a week or more.

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Banana chocolate chip bread is our favorite rescue mission for overripe bananas. Almond butter, eggs and one freckled banana blend into a moist, warmly spiced loaf with mini chocolate chips throughout. It's so good you'll start letting bananas go brown on purpose.

Pro Tips

• Wait for properly overripe bananas — freckled and soft. One spotty banana is doing the sweetening here, so a firm one leaves the bread bland.
• Purée everything but the chips in a food processor and scrape down the sides as you go, so all the nut butter ends up in the batter instead of smeared on the bowl.
• Small banana lumps in the batter are fine and even nice; fold the chocolate chips in gently with a spatula so they stay whole.
• Watch the clock: about 30 minutes for a small loaf pan, only 15-18 minutes for muffins. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
• Store it chilled — it keeps for a week or more, and cold slices of this bread are every bit as good as warm ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store banana chocolate chip bread?

In the fridge in a sealed container for a week or more. The almond butter keeps it moist but also means it's happiest cold rather than on the counter.

Can I freeze it?

Yes — slice it first, then freeze the slices with parchment between them. Grab a slice straight from the freezer for a quick snack; it thaws in minutes.

Can I make this nut-free?

The recipe explicitly works with a sunflower butter like MaraNatha's — use it cup for cup and the loaf comes out just as moist.

Loaf or muffins — which is better?

Both work from the same batter; muffins bake in 15-18 minutes and are easier to pack for lunches, while the loaf slices nicer for breakfast.

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