Banana Bread 3 Ways: Coconut Lime, Cardamom Pistachio, and Marbled Chocolate

{tap tap}... Um, hello? Anybody there?
We're still here... and still cooking, even though it's been 6 months {Gasp !} since we've last posted. Believe it or not, my iPhoto is full of food pictures, and my children now think it is standard practice to take a picture of their meal before dinner. I just haven't posted. {So Sorry!} But we're back. Happy New Year!

I love my local grocery store, Fareway. They aren't open on Sundays (hooray!) and they sell their almost expired produce at reduced prices- including their bananas. My family LIKES bananas a bit on the brown side, so this is a major plus for our family. However, sometimes I get a little carried away and well, we have lots of brown black bananas.  Luckily, Cooking Light about 10 years ago (gasp again!) did an awesome article on banana bread. Carrie posted the original classic banana bread recipe a while back. Here are 3 of their variations.  Hope you enjoy!

Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread sligh yle="font-size: large;">tly adapted from Cooking Light, Sept. 2003
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 oz.)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (3-4 bananas)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan (I used shortening).
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and yogurt, beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist.
4. Place chocolate chips in a medium microwave safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until almost melted, stirring until almost smooth. Cool slightly. Add 1 cup batter to chocolate, stirring until well combined.
5.Spoon chocolate batter alternately with plain batter into greased loaf pan. Swirl batters together using a knife.
6. Bake at 350° for 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices. 

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze slightly adapted from Cooking Light, Sept. 2003
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 oz.)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (3-4 bananas)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 TBS apple juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1  TBS flaked sweetened coconut (for sprinkling on top)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2  TBS fresh lime juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease an 9x5 inch loaf pan (I used shortening).

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas, yogurt, apple juice, and vanilla beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.
4. Spoon batter into greased loaf pan. Sprinkle with 1 TBS coconut.
5. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan.
6. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over warm bread.
7. Cool completely on wire rack.
Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices. 

Cardamom Banana Bread with Pistachiosslightly adapted from Cooking Light, Sept. 2003
 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 oz.)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2  cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (3-4 bananas)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios (I used roasted, salted, already shelled)

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease an 9x5 inch loaf pan (I used shortening).
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas, sour cream, and cardamom; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in pistachios.
4. Spoon batter into greased loaf pan.
5. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan.
6. Cool completely on wire rack.
Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices. 

left: cardamom pistachio top right: chocolate banana bottom right: coconut lime

 P.S. It's good to be back. ~W