Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
February 18th, 2013 | Author: Alysha
Happy President’s Day! Don’t forget, you still have until Tuesday to enter my Dreamfarm Giveaway! This weekend I actually had some time to bake and watch TV (neither of which I’ve been able to do lately!). For me, that means catching up on Nashville, American Idol, Smash and America’s Test Kitchen :)
Fresh Valentine’s Day flowers make TV watching that much more enjoyable.
Yesterday I FINALLY made it to Trader Joe’s by Bayshore Mall. In addition to stocking up on produce like organic gala apples, kale, spinach, carrots and broccoli, I had to pick up a jar of their Crunchy Cookie Butter. I actually stopped myself from picking up a jar of smooth cookie butter because I figured one jar was enough!
One reason I especially love weekends is that I actually have time to bake for fun. As a kid, I remember learning to bake with Gold Medal Flour’s Alpha Bakery Children’s Cookbook.
Although I only remember us making one recipe, I would constantly flip through the pages because I thought the illustrations made the food look delicious and fun. Because this book meant so much to me, I grabbed in when I rediscovered it from my parent’s house about a year ago. I didn’t want it getting lost or, god forbid, thrown away.
One of the first things I ever remember making with my dad was banana bread. And when I rediscovered cooking and baking in college, this was what I made, loaf upon loaf.
Instead of sticking to our tried and true recipe, I decided to bump up the health factor and make substitutions. I swapped out much of the oil for applesauce, I used white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose, and I added Navitas Natural Cacao Nibs instead of chocolate chips.
Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf
3/4 cup sugar
3 small mashed bananas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup Navitas Naturals Cacao Nibs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Grease a loaf pan, either 9×5 or 8 1/2×4 1/2, with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix sugar, bananas, oil, applesauce and eggs in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pan.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before letting cool completely on a wire rack.
In addition to this healthy banana bread, I’ve also created a version of a guilt-free Whole Wheat Zucchini Banana Bread.
Question: What types of foods did you make as a child? Did you ever have a childhood cookbook?
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I think I had this same cookbook!!! “E is for Elephant Ears???”
Maggie recently posted..DIY: Homemade Sweet & Spicy Beef Jerky
Yes! I definitely remember that one! And the Z for Zebra Cakes :)
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
I loved my childhood cookbook and wish I still had it but I’m guessing it got sold at a garage sale somewhere along the way. My brother and I could entertain ourselves all day with that cookbook. In fact, he used to pretend to be sick so he could stay home from school and bake (when he was old enough to be alone). I still remember the day my mom and I came home to a pineapple upside down cake :)
Karis’ Kitchen recently posted..The Sweet Life in Paris – David Lebovitz
That is hilarious. I wish your brother was my brother :)
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
That cookbook is adorable! I love banana bread with some chocolate in it, it’s the perfect combo! And beautiful flowers as well :)
Laurie @ Love, Laugh, Laurie recently posted..Birthday Recap Number One
Brenton does do a good job :)
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
We had a similar book and all I can remember is E for Elephant Ears. I know if I asked my sisters they would remember a ton more. In college my mom gave me a book called Clueless in the Kitchen and I would make a dish from it called One Skillet Spaghetti and strangely it would turn out.
erica recently posted..The Slicer
We must have had the same book :) I never had a college cookbook. It would have helped though. I had more tuna mac and cheese than anyone should.
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
OMG I missed the premiere of Smash?!?! That bread looks GOOd, especially during this detox…
Actually, the first episode taped, but not the one from last week. Weird! Let me know if yours taped.
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
Love the addition of cacao nibs and that this doesn’t have a ton of oil! I’m always a sucker for good banana bread : )
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan recently posted..Creme Brulee Chocolate and Peanut Butter Puddings
Those cacao nibs were sitting in my pantry for months. I needed to use them up!
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
I had that cookbook too and snagged it from my parents house a couple years ago so still have it. I think I would make the honey cookies the most. So cute and good recipes!
I think I’m actually going to start making some of the other ones. Everything looks so cute.
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
I love a day to catch up on TV. That is exactly what I am doing right now. That banana bread looks wonderful! And that cookbook is SO cute! Happy Day Off!
luv what you do recently posted..I Can’t Stop Eating
That cookbook is too cute! I hadn’t seen it before.
I’m glad you were able to enjoy a childhood favorite without breaking the calorie bank :)
Alex @ Brain, Body, Because recently posted..<3 Eggs, cardio debates.
No kidding. Usually sweets and healthy don’t go together too well!
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
Aww I love it!! I actually never thought of putting cocoa nibs in things, but it is soooo genius!! This looks so incredible, I have been pretty obsessed with banana bread lately!!
Alissa N recently posted..Vegan Samosa Casserole
OK I did NOT know they had crunchy cookie butter!! I know what I’m buying as soon as Lent is over!! Your table looks completely adorable with the wine corks and flowers!! Make me one pleaseeeee! (Kidding, kind of hehe) I also love Nashville and catch up on the weekends too! :] This banana bread sounds and looks delicious! We used a cookbook called The Stuffed Griffin (a book from my mother’s hometown) for most of our recipes when I was a kid. That and then Alligator Cookies… Have you heard of that?! They were the BEST. http://www.amazon.com/Alligator-Cookies-James-Young/dp/0843122978
Carol @ Lucky Zucca recently posted..Fun., Family and Fur
Did you know that book is going for $295! I hope you still have yours!
Alysha recently posted..Alpha Bakery Banana Bread
How fun to re-discover a childhood cookbook! I’m going to have to look for mine at my parents’ house next time I visit. I don’t remember the name, but it had some tasty cookie recipes!
Sun recently posted..The Big Chill 5k Race Recap
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I simply cannot have TJ’s cookie butter in my house. I’ll eat the entire jar in a freaking week! I have yet to try the crunchy for fear that I’ll like it even more than the creamy!
Trisha recently posted..The Best Doctor In Town
Now that I have it, I remember why I went so long without it in the first place. I can totally eat that stuff right out of the jar!
Alysha recently posted..Thursday Things
[...] but one of the first things I started making by myself in college were quickbreads. I’d make banana bread constantly and learned a lot about baking (like the correct way to measure flour and the importance [...]