Mom's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

We all have a banana bread in our lives. This is mine.

I can see the appeal it might have for a busy young mom like mine- it's easy to throw together and provides a more nutritious sweet alternative. She would bake it in a 9x13 pan, and my brothers and I would devour it for a snack or dessert.

If you have some really ripe bananas, you're in business. The riper they are, the sweeter and more developed the banana flavor will be. As for shape, you pick. Mom favored a 9x13 sheet cake pan; today I'm baking for a birthday, so little cakes seemed appropriate. The pan did not hold all the batter, so the remainder made a small loaf.

Please don't fool yourself; this is still dessert. But banana, whole wheat flour, and nonfat yogurt give more nutritional value than, say, a vanilla cupcake with frosting. You can cut the butter by a little bit if you must, but if you're baking for a special someone (and I am, for a good friend) show your affection with a little butta.

I hope you love these- I do.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup very ripe mashed banana (2 large)

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease the pans you plan to use.

In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt together. In a medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar and eggs well. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, then add the mashed bananas, yogurt, and vanilla. Fold together, adding the mini chocolate chips until combined.

Bake for:

1 large loaf- 1 hour

4 mini loaves- 40 minutes

9x13 cake pan- 28-30 minutes

12-cup muffin tin (which I used here)- 20 minutes

Cool slightly before eat, and completely before storing.

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