Chocolate-walnut banana bread: A healthier version

What’s not to love about banana bread? Quick to make and always tasty, it goes easily from breakfast table, to lunch box, to after dinner treat with tea. And many of us have a family recipe we’ve been making for so long we could do it with our eyes closed. So why not give your go-to recipe a break and give our chocolate-walnut banana bread a try? With all the familiar flavour you expect from this potassium-rich treat, our version ups the healthy factor with the addition of flax seeds and whole-wheat flour. Plus, we’ve added enough chocolate chips to make sure it appeals to those with a sweet tooth, and the protein-packed walnuts balance the sweetness.

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray (or lightly oil) a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Mash the bananas in a medium bowl (you should end up with about 1 ½ cups). Stir the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours in another bowl, and add in the ground flax seeds, baking soda, and salt. Tip: You can often find very ripe bananas on clearance in your grocer’s produce section, and freeze extra for later use.

Step 2:

Bring butter to room temperature in a large bowl and add brown sugar, and then beat with electric mixer until smooth. Add in eggs, vanilla, and rum (if using), and beat until combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in your mashed bananas, followed by the flour mixture – be careful not to overmix.

Step 3:

Add chopped walnuts (omit if allergies are a concern) and chocolate chips (an extra handful is always a nice touch), and gently fold into the batter. Spoon mixture into loaf pan and smooth the top.

Step 4:

Bake loaf in centre of oven for about 50-65 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) comes out clean. Tip: If you notice the top getting too brown during baking, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes or so. Let the loaf pan cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife along the edges and carefully remove the banana bread to cool completely. It will keep at room temperature for up to three days, or can be frozen for up to two months to enjoy at a later date!

Try this recipe: Chocolate-walnut banana bread

Ingredients

• 3 large, very ripe bananas
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp dark rum (optional)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts