Simply Soares

Blog Hop for Tuesday 7/21.... Favorite Recipe!!

Yummy... this sounds like a super fun Blog Hop, I hope I will get lots of new yummies to try :)

This is one of my absolutely fav stand bys.... and since we get gifted tons of free bananas it gets used OFTEN in my house! This Banana Bread recipe came from my Great Grandmother, but I have made it a tad more healthy over the years... not too much, but a tad. Hope you love it as much as we do!

Nana's Banana Bread
5 Tablespoons Butter (do not sub margarine)
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar (can sub 1/4 Spelnda)
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (can sub 1/4 Splenda Brown Sugar)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups mashed, very ripe bananas (I usually use 3-4 bananas)
1 3/4 Cups All purpose Flour
(I sub 1/4 Cup flax seed, and 3/4 Cups Wheat flour and 3/4 Cups All purpose flour)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream (or whipping cream, or I even sub milk when out of everything)
1/3 Cups chopped Nuts (or raisins, or dried cranberries, or chocolate chips...
or anything :) )

Pre heat oven to 350 degree F. Spray bottom only of 9x5x3 inch loaf pan (or muffin tin) with non stick cooking spray.

Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add mashed bananas and beat on high speed for at least 30 seconds.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternating with cream. Add nuts, or other add ins to the batter; mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until browned and a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 mins for loaf and 30 mins for muffins (23 for mini muffins). Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan to cool completely.

And as long as I am at it... the perfect complement to this around our house is a protein shake!

Banana Protein Shake

2 ripe bananas, peeled and cut in half
a handful of ice
1 1/2 Cups Soy Milk or Milk
2 teaspoons honey
1 scoop protein powder*

Put it all in the blender and blend for 2-3 minutes, until SUPER smooth

*We use Melaleuca Pro Flew 20 protein powder and the kids love the flavor while I like the benefits :)