Making Peanut Butter Banana Bread and Finding Balance

I need to get back on the wagon, do something in the kitchen that I am familiar with so that I can get over my tragic Hot Mess last week. I decide my old stand-by Peanut Butter Banana Bread is in order. We also call this Elvis Bread because his favorite was a peanut butter and banana sandwich and my mom happens to love him.

Plus I was starting to feel the way these banana's look. You know what I mean? A little wilted and sad. But as they say, when life gives you old banana's... mash them and make banana bread! 

I have been doing this with my mom since I could stand in the kitchen so this seems like the perfect way to find my shoes again and help me get out of my own way. After all, I am the light at the end of my own damn tunnel, so I better get my flashlight out or in this case, my spatula.

Now a little about me, cooking has been my hot mess therapy since I can't remember when. It has brought me through breakups, let downs, fights, disappointments, and fits of rage. What can I say? Cooking is just what I do to calm my nerves and clear my head.

I am back in the kitchen with my mom and we are typing up the recipes and cooking together. It is so much more fun having a comrade to cook with. It takes some of the pressure off. Everything isn't up to me this way and I am a 'talk it out loud' sort of person and when my mom is there to hear what I am saying, I look slightly less crazy.

And after looking at my pictures, I realize that most of them are HORRIBLE! So, I am working on my picture taking skills too. Me, my mom, my banana bread, and my camera. I am creating a perfect union between us all today.

And wouldn't you know? It worked. I am back in control, I am breathing a little deeper, and my shoes are securely on my feet with the laces double knotted. I am back in my bubble as I like to say swimming around and smiling. I feel so good that I actually feel like taking a swim. So even though the water was 52 degrees and it was 60 degrees outside, I was inspired to persevere and take a leisurely dip to celebrate my successful recovery. Check out the video below and please excuse the profanity... It was pretty damn cold!

Hey, when the kitchen is hot, why not start cooking and when the water is cold.. Dive IN!

Plus this bread saves you over 50 calories, half the fat and nearly half the carbohydrates of regular store bought varieties. Plus it packs twice as much fiber and protein! Now that's something to celebrate!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread (AKA - Elvis Bread)

2 Ripe Bananas

4 Egg Whites (or 2 Eggs)

1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Splenda (for baking)

1 cup Non-Fat Vanilla Yogurt

2 tbsp. All Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 cup Milled Flax Seed

1 tbsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tbsp. All Spice

1/2 cup Walnuts; chopped

1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Take some of your oldest, brownest, saddest bananas (we freeze ours when they start looking sad so we always have some ready). Peel them and using a large fork, mash the banana's until they are creamy and have a pudding like consistency. 

3. Place the eggs and the mashed banana in a large bowl and mix using a fork or whisk. 

4. Add the vanilla extract, vanilla yogurt, peanut butter, and splenda and continue stirring until combined.

5. In a separate bowl combine the whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, milled flax seed, cinnamon, and all spice. Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk. 

6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together using a spatula. The batter will be thick.

7. Add the chopped walnuts and dark chocolate chips and stir to combine.

8. Spray a 9 X 5 inch bread pan with vegetable oil cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour checking after 45 minutes using a toothpick inserted into the bread. If the tooth pick comes out clean your bread is ready! Slice and serve as a snack, along with breakfast, or dessert with whip cream on top!

This is such a healthy and delicious bread to serve to your family and they won't even know how many vitamins and minerals you have packed in there for them! It will be our little secret! ;)

Servings: 14

Nutritional Skinny:

113 calories / 5 g fat / 14.7 g carbohydrates / 2.7 g fiber / 4.1 g protein

Mental Health Benefit: When life throws you challenges, it's okay. This too shall pass, as I always say. When you hit turbulence, buckle your safety belt and keep your arms and legs in the vehicle at all times. Remember that joy isn't found at the end of the journey. It is found along the way. Create your own JOY moment and live in it completely! Oh and keep breathing and remember profanities can be helpful... sometimes..

Cheers from my Hot Mess cold behind to yours!

~"Too Lovely" Hot Messes in the kitchen!