Toasted Coconut-Walnut Banana Bread

I find it fitting that the first post I return with includes bananas. Why? Because that's how I feel my life has been over the past few months. It's been going bananas! And the end doesn't seem near. (Insert BIG SMILE here)

When I say "going bananas" it's meant in a good way. There has been a ton of change in my life over the past few months. For that I am thankful. Not all changes have been exactly easy, but Life's lessons rarely come easy. Overall it's been wonderful change. 

One big change was stepping away from this blog. If you follow me on Instagram you will have noticed I have still been cooking and enjoying my time in the kitchen. I'm not going to lie, I needed a break from the blog. That said, the break was far toooooo long. Apologies. Without going into all details of my life, let's focus on the fact that Creande is coming back. I will be dealing with the blog a bit different, however. 

Anywho, let's get back to those silly bananas! 

Banana bread is always a favorite of mine. Bananas on the other hand...I always buy a bunch thinking I'll eat them before they brown. Never the case. That's not a bad thing, right? It just means I get to make Banana Bread more often. Yum. 

Last week I had another bunch of bananas brown. Funny thing is, I got a recipe email the day I decided to use them for Banana Bread. But, it was no normal Banana Bread. The email was for Toasted Coconut Banana Bread. I MAY have gotten just a bit excited. Slightly sad that I didn't think of the idea before that email, but still quite excited. So I grabbed coconut, walnuts and a few other ingredients. (A sentence and recipe loaded with nuts. Ha!) Anywho, I sat down with the recipe and it told me just what it needed to become better. To be the best Banana Bread it could be! I applied the alterations and...BOOM. Amazing things happened in the kitchen!

First and foremost, when toasting the coconut and walnuts you get a splendid sweet and then toasty aroma to awaken your senses. Mashing those bananas, hello dancing tastebuds. Get those three ingredients mixed together… pure happiness. (I think I really did a happy dance.) When those loaves (loaf) hit the oven it's like an explosion of banana aroma. I just wanted to sit in front of the oven and watch that bread bake and crust perfectly. Alas, I had things to do. The aroma was enough to torture one's stomach. I could barely get through the photos when the bread was done. I wanted that bread! Once I did manage to get a slice, it was near perfection. This will be my go to recipe for Banana Bread, coconut or no coconut.

I guarantee you will love this bread. Guarantee. Now, print this recipe and get to baking. 

Until the next food-venture! 

Chad D.

Toasted Coconut-Walnut Banana Bread

Yields: 1 9x5x3 or 4 mini loaves

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 mashed overripe bananas

1/3 cup olive oil

2 eggs, room temperature

2 Tablespoon milk, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1 1/2 cups toasted coconut

1 cup toasted walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º  and grease pan(s) and set aside. 

2. To toast the coconut and walnuts; add them to a skillet over low-medium heat. Toast until walnuts begin to release their oil and the coconut is golden brown.

3. In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients, whisk. 

4. Mash bananas in a medium bowl and add oil, eggs, milk and vanilla.

5. Combine wet and dry ingredients by folding them together. 

6. Fold in coconut and walnuts. 

7. Pour batter into prepare pans and bake 30-40 minutes for small loaves or 50-60 minutes for large loaf or until a toothpick come out clean. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

8. Remove from pan(s) and enjoy.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.cooking.com/recipes-and-more/recipes/Toasted-Coconut-Banana-Bread-recipe-345.aspx#axzz2cT9s0GfA

Banana Bread w Spiced Maple Glazed Pecans

1 banana 2 banana 3 banana 4! Yes, 4 bananas in this recipe! That's a banana per loaf, if you're making the mini loaves.  This banana bread is hearty with a good banana flavor, subtly sweet and full of spiced pecans. I don't really have a go to recipe for banana bread so I thought I would look around and start testing. AND I'll need to keep track of the recipes I use. I failed to save the recipes I've used in the past. 

Simple ingredient list results in a delicious bread.

When I started looking for a recipe I knew that I wanted a basic recipe that I could build on. I feel like I accomplished just that. A few additions and adjustments worked out just as I had hoped, aside from the addition of the maple syrup. While the maple flavor didn't come through as I had hoped, this bread is still delicious. Having glazed the pecans in maple and added some to the batter in place of milk I really thought it would shine through a little more. I still think it adds to the bread, but isn't as pronounced as I would like. The spice was a bit high for what I was going for as well. I made the adjustment in the recipe you see to cut that back. The adjustment will let the other flavors be more balanced. 

Spiced Maple Glazed Pecans. On the right, the chopped pecans for the bread.

The changing weather, cold one day and warm the next, around good ole Indiana made me crave this spicy and subtly sweet banana bread one cool day. Even if it's not cold, this bread makes a great breakfast with a hot cup-o-java or as a delicious snack! 

Enough chit chat form me, go get BAKING!

Banana Bread w Spiced Maple Glazed Pecans            [Printable Recipe] - both recipes at link

Recipe adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe

Makes: 4 mini loaves or 1 large loaf

Ingredients:

1 cup dark brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 real maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Maple Spiced Pecans (recipe below)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and grease/flour 4 mini loaf pans.

Cream butter and sugar until lighter and fluffy. About 3-4 minutes.

Whisk together the remaining dry ingredients. Set aside.

Once the sugar/butter mix is ready, add eggs one at a time, mixing slightly after each egg. Add the vanilla.

Add the maple syrup just until combined. Add the mashed banana and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients in 3 batches mixing just until combined after each addition.

Pour batter equally into the prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Spiced Maple Glazed Pecans

1 cup pecans halved
1/4 cup Real Maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg

In a small skillet combine all ingredients over medium heat. Cook until maple syrup is thickened. Pour pecans into a wax paper lined baking sheet and cool.