How many different versions are there of banana bread? I found this some time ago and knew I had all the ingredients, then put it off thinking I needed coconut. I wasn't crazy about the thought of chewy coconut in soft banana bread, similar to those who eat Milk Duds in their popcorn When I went back thru the recipe, I realized it was coconut oil.

I bought these interesting mega chunk chocolate on a 50% off sale so I got two bags. Then realized the 50% off made them the same price as regular chocolate chips. The brand was Enjoy Life and the description was "premium chocolate, derived from sustainable harvested cocoa beans" I had to open one of the bags to see what they were and taste them. BIG MISTAKE. I went thru the whole bag, a quarter cup at a time, tasting it. You know, it's like once the bag was below a cup left, one might as well finish it. So for the banana bread, I only used a cup of the second bag, meaning there is another cup to tempt me.

The comment on this banana bread was 'it is healthy-ish", using honey instead of sugar, and whole wheat flour.

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium overly ripe bananas,

mashed (about 1 ¼ c. mashed)

¼ c. coconut oil melted

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp kosher salt

1 ½ tsp baking soda

¼ c. honey

2 eggs

2 tsps vanilla extract

1 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour or all -purpose flour

1 c. semi-sweet or dark

chocolate chunks

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 pan.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mashed banana, coconut oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until center is just set. Remove and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting or just eat it warm with a smear of butter and drizzle of honey.

MY NOTES:

It is in the oven so I will report at the end. I had 3 large bananas frozen that were really ripe. When I unthawed them, they were mushy of course, but watery. The dough still seemed to be thick enough. I used whole wheat all- purpose flour, but added 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. The formula is to take 2 tablespoons of flour out and add the cornstarch for cake flour, but I kept the extra 2 tablespoons in. I also added about a tablespoon of chia seeds because I had them on hand, but have to warn Joe so he doesn't think they are bugs in the bread

Report: It is good. The banana flavor comes thru and it's not very sweet, more like a bread, than a sweet bread. The chocolate does not seem to overpower the bread.I also put in walnuts so that's an option.

We made the Valentine Steak for dinner tonight. I'd give it a 3 star. It was flavorful but not as wonderful as the review

ENJOY