Dark Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread.

This banana bread is packed with good for you ingredients like fiber rich whole wheat and almond flour, omega 3 rich chia seeds, plant protein and omega 3 powered walnuts and antioxidant rich dark chocolate. This is the only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need. We make it at least once a week. We always have extra bananas on hand, partially because I like to make this banana bread often. Very often. You should too!

We use overripe bananas in one of three ways:

1. Smoothies (we freeze lots of extra bananas)
2. Smashed bananas (mashed bananas “fried” up in a skillet, topped with yogurt and shaved dark chocolate)
3. This banana bread

Adrian would rather have #2. I would rather have #3. Especially when it’s not smoothie weather. I love banana bread. And love it even more when it’s packed with dark chocolate chips and walnuts. Bananas + chocolate + walnuts is just a match made in heaven. We’ve been making this banana bread for years and still make it at least once a month, sometimes more. It’s a better-for-you quick bread, as I’ve cut back on the sugar and used mostly white whole wheat flour. Though it is still packed with chocolate chips, so it’s best enjoyed as a dessert.

Just look at this topping…which is optional, but recommended.

This month’s Recipe ReDux theme is Creative Quick Breads: The holiday baking season is upon us. And this month we’re going way beyond grandma’s banana bread. From sweet to savory and whole-grain to gluten-free, show us your new quick bread creation fresh from the oven. 

This banana bread is a far cry from grandma’s. Though, neither of my grandmothers ever made banana bread. And actually, if they had, I am sure it would have been delicious. But packed with sugar, white flour and probably even more butter.

If you’re a banana bread and dark chocolate lover, this loaf is for you. Make it this holiday season in mini loaves, wrap them in pretty paper and tie them in a bow. Who doesn’t love chocolate chip banana bread? If fact, our sweet neighbors across the street have made us chocolate chip banana bread with trail mix as a topping (soooo good!) a few times recently. Lisa drops off a mini loaf for us to enjoy, just because. Adrian is lucky to get a bite of the end if I’ve gotten ahold of it first.

Here’s how to make this moist and chocolatey banana bread:

Dark Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread

Serves: 8

Time: 20 minutes hands-on + 1 hour 10 minutes bake time

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup almond flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk (walnut/soy/whole), room temperature
• 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp chia seeds
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips, divided in ¾ cup and ¼ cup
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped, divided in ¾ and ¼ cup

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with tinfoil or parchment paper and spray with nonfat cooking spray. Combine flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.  In a medium sized bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended, then blend in eggs. Add vanilla, milk, 2 Tbsp chia seeds and mashed bananas and stir to combine. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir to combine. Fold in ¾ cup dark chocolate chips and ¾ cup walnuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup dark chocolate chips, ¼ cup walnuts and 1 tsp chia seeds overtop the batter, evenly. Bake for 1 hour and 5-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Baking time may vary, depending on oven. Remove from oven and let cool.

Topping is optional, but recommended.

Check out these yummy, gift worthy quick breads from my Recipe ReDuxer friends:

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