Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

My family has an ongoing joke about banana bread. Whenever there used to be overripe bananas on the counter, my mom would forbid anyone to throw them out because she always claimed, “I’m going to make banana bread!” I don’t think I can recall my mom making banana bread ever. Not even once. So today, I noticed a few overripe bananas on the counter, and I laughed as I thought, Don’t throw them out, Amy, I’m going to make banana bread! And then I thought, Well why don’t I actually make banana bread? So I did just that. I found a basic recipe for banana bread online, and then decided to get fancy and added peanut butter and chocolate chips. I was a little nervous about how it would come out, but I’m proud to say, I concocted a recipe worth eating. Like, really worth eating. It’s pretty damn good if I do say so myself.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Here’s what you’ll need:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick of butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
5 overripe bananas
1 cup of chocolate chips (whichever kind you prefer)
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Here’s how you do it:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease 9×5″ loaf pan and set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar, eggs, peanut butter, and mashed bananas. Add chocolate chips and mix well.
4. Combine both mixtures and mix just enough to moisten the flour mixture.
5. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 60 minutes. Check to make sure it has baked long enough by sticking a toothpick into the loaf—if it comes out with nothing stuck to it, it’s done!

Let the bread cool, and then move from the pan onto a cooling rack. The whole wheat flour gives it a little grainier taste, so if you want to stick to normal white flour, then go for it. I just figured I would try to make it a tad bit healthier (go me!). You can also leave out the peanut butter and chocolate for your good old classic banana bread. I’ve just been craving sweets lately, so I figured this was a good way to get my chocolate fix and throw in some nutrients, too. Enjoy!