Heidi's One Bowl Banana Bread Recipe

My husband loves banana bread. He's always happy to see it on the counter. Heidi Swanson's one bowl recipe is simple enough to bake on a weekday afternoon. This easy banana bread recipe is the only one you'll ever need. The banana bread is nostalgic and homey. Bananas are the star. With a cup of tea or coffee, this treat is a cozy escape.

Heidi's One Bowl Banana Bread Recipe 

Some Notes

The original recipe for Heidi Swanson's One Bowl Banana Bread is found here. Heidi uses a mix of whole wheat and all purpose flour. I didn't have any whole wheat flour in my pantry but I bet it gives the bread a rustic taste. 

I use coconut milk straight out of the can for this recipe. I haven't tried it with nuts or chocolate chips yet. A sprinkling of sesame seeds on top seems like a good idea too.    

I baked my bread for forty minutes in a square pan because I like to cut it into squares instead of slices.    

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)

• 1/3 cup melted butter

• 3/4 cup of my vanilla sugar or dark brown sugar 

• 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk, yogurt, or sour cream

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place a rack in the center. 

Butter a 9-by 5-inch loaf pan, or equivalent. Place the mashed bananas in a large bowl. Stir in the butter, and then the sugar and coconut milk. Add the eggs and vanilla, and stir until well combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the batter combines, avoid over-mixing. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy! xx ~ Jilly 

Frontier Flapjacks

Hello Friends! I'm excited to share another pancake recipe with you. Unlike my usual recipes, this one relies on a box mix called Kodiak Cakes Frontier Flapjack and Waffle Mix Non GMO Whole Wheat, Oat & Honey. The company writes that flapjacks were the hearty mainstay of frontiersmen from the Yukon to the High Sierra. These mountain men and homesteaders relied on a traditional flapjack that combined the rich, substantial taste of whole wheat with the mellow taste of whole grain oats. The flapjack has protein, fiber and very little fat. Kodiak Cakes have been featured in Weight Watchers, Vegetarian Times, Martha Stewart Living and a bunch of other publications. The ingredients on the box are all natural. (I'm not being paid to write this review. I stumbled upon this product while looking for a good, whole grain pancake mix).

Healthy Mexican Cocoa

I've partnered with Uncommongoods to review some of their delicious and unique products. I've been a customer for years. 

Today I'm sharing honey with you. Bees Knees Spicy Honey is infused with a bit of chili. The heat sneaks up on you in a very good way. There's just the right amount of spice to balance the sweet. I love this honey. I've been eating it straight with a spoon (don't judge). It's that good. 

This honey is wonderful in my morning Mexican Cocoa (recipe below). The cocoa has a a dash of cinnamon and a spicy hit from the honey. Keep this cocoa recipe in your repertoire for brisk fall mornings and chilly winter afternoons. After a day spent skating, skiing or sledding, it's a cozy pick-me-up. I enjoy the cocoa year round. It's loaded with antioxidants and omega-3s. 

Metabolism-Boosting Tea

Miso Mushroom Soup

Life is about balance. Not everyone has time to cook, but we all must be fed. This 5-minute miso soup comes to the rescue with its gentle and restorative properties. I have it for breakfast, especially after working a busy night in the crisis center. It might seem strange to have soup as your morning meal, but give it a go. Miso for breakfast is macrobiotic. It's a Japanese custom to start the day with miso soup. It's wonderful. It's lovely for lunch too. Here's why....

Healthy Hot Cocoa

I'm sipping my usual healthy morning hot chocolate and stitching my next pattern. It has roses and butterflies. 

But, let's talk about the frothy cocoa recipe. Yes, it's possible to have a rich, intensely-flavored cup of hot cocoa that's healthy and crave-worthy. This one is brimming with antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals. 

Pear & Rosemary Buttermilk Muffins

It's a tea and muffin morning on the balcony. The perks of being a member of the pajama-clad workforce. It's nice to enjoy breakfast in the sunshine after working evenings for so long. Someone recently suggested that I needed more socialization. Honey, I've had enough to last a lifetime. I've worked late hours in psychiatric emergency rooms for a long time. Solitude and morning sun is what I crave. For now, it's more than fine.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Oh these muffins! They have a deep, double-chocolate, sinfully good flavor, with melty chocolate chips and a moist texture. They're a chocolate lovers dream because not only do they taste rich and scrumptious, they're made with Greek yogurt, zucchini and unsweetened applesauce. 

PB&J Granola

Made with creamy peanut butter, a hint of honey and a sprinkle of sea salt, this tasty and filling granola is a good way to start the day. It's not too sweet. You could add a few spoonfuls of sugar to the recipe to make it sweeter. But, I was after something more natural. Raisins give it a PB&J-vibe. Sea salt enhances all the flavors. With cold milk, it's delicious. Your kitchen will smell divine as it bakes. 

This granola keeps for weeks in an airtight container. It's easy too. I usually make it on a lazy Sunday afternoon, mixing everything directly on a large baking tray and popping it in the oven. Turn it into trail mix by adding some chocolate chips, banana chips and peanuts, great for long hikes and summer camping trips. Get your crunch on!

Blackberry Corn Muffins

One summer long ago, I tried a blackberry. The sun was setting and the lightning bugs were starting to flicker when I spied a small basket of them in my aunt's fridge. That first bite sparked a love affair with these midnight-hued berries. Naturally, I had to try the blackberry muffin recipe in Romney Steele's beautiful book, Plum Gorgeous.

Fluffy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

My devotion to pancakes runs deep. These light and fluffy lemon ricotta cakes are numero uno. They're easy to prepare too! No whipping egg whites or melting butter is involved. In fact, sometimes laziness completely takes over and I mix everything in one bowl. Swap the maple syrup for honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and you're in for an extra special treat. They're delicious with my quick honeyed-strawberry sauce too. If you love pancakes, I hope you give this recipe a try.

Toasted Coconut-Lime Muffins

My husband is coming home from a tiring business trip. He spent his birthday on the road. He doesn't have a huge sweet tooth. He doesn't even like cake, which is mind boggling to me. So instead of a birthday cake, I made muffins. He loves muffins. I whip up lots of different kinds, like my Incredibly Moist Blueberry Muffins and French Vanilla Pear Muffins. You can view all of them in the Recipe Index. He's a fan of the cozy, toasted coconut and lime combination in this recipe. I love that there's no mixer needed to prepare them. They have moist centers, slightly crunchy exteriors, with a texture and flavor similar to scones. They're delicious eaten warm, minutes after they're made, with a little butter or tart marmalade. Brew some coffee or tea!

Buttermilk & Brown Sugar Muffins

Sometimes we need a quick muffin fix. Freshly baked muffins and hot coffee make for happy mornings. A simple little sweet treat is just the thing to break up the long week. This recipe is a no-brainer. Everything is mixed in one bowl and baked in a muffin tin. Warm muffins can be on your breakfast table in 30 minutes. Buttermilk keeps them ultra-moist, with a nice rise and a soft crumb. A sprinkling of cinnamon makes them cozy. They're made with natural ingredients and freezer friendly too. Pop them in the microwave directly from the freezer for a quick snack on the go.

The Best Buttermilk Pancakes

I adore pancakes. I've tried endless recipes. This recipe produces the best, easy, golden-brown, light and fluffy discs I've ever tasted. No whipping egg whites. No melting butter. Just mix and make. The search is over!

Simple is best here. There's no need for mix-ins. In fact, they're better without them. Light brown sugar makes them golden brown with caramel notes. But, regular sugar is just fine too. A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon gives them a cozy flavor. A nostalgic stack of buttermilk pancakes with real maple syrup makes mornings better. Brew a fresh pot of coffee (French press for me) and get flipping!

Red Berries & Almond Cereal

I make different variations of healthy breakfast cereals about every two weeks. This one is fortified with whole grains, coconut oil, almonds and red berries. It's crunchy texture is made for milk. The bright strawberries give it great flavor and extra vitamins. Occasionally, I sprinkle in a few dark chocolate chips too.

Toasted Oat & Apricot Muesli

My Saturday morning ritual involves a brisk walk by the Charles River with my beagle and making some cereal. Homemade muesli is great to have hanging around your kitchen. Muesli is a made with dried fruit and oats. It's typically eaten with cold milk. You can also sprinkle it on yogurt, which is how my husband likes it. Throw some nuts, coconut, chocolate chips or banana chips in it for a quick energy boosting snack. 

Toasted Coconut, Quinoa & Oats Cereal

Since I don't work in a psychiatric emergency room every night anymore, I'm much more equipped to curb my stress-eating-tendencies, which included uncontrollably munching a half a box of Cheez-its in one sitting, scarfing oreo cookies for dinner and...the never fail.... mindlessly shoving pizza slices down my gullet. Sounds peachy, doesn't it? Now that my work hours are reduced, I'm going for long walks with my beagle. When I eat pizza, I'm sitting down, with my husband, to savor it. I'm also whipping up my favorite cereal. Life, for the moment, is more balanced. 

My homemade granola cereal has delicious coconut flavor and a crunchy texture. It fills the kitchen with divine, warm aromas as it bakes. My husband sprinkles it on yogurt with fresh fruit or honeyed strawberries. I love to mix-in dark chocolate chips and eat it with very cold milk.  

Think you don't like quinoa? Think again! When it's toasted with oats and maple syrup, something magical happens. Even picky eaters will love this healthy breakfast. They won't even know the quinoa is in it. Loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, omegas, trace minerals, fiber, iron and protein, I always feel well nourished after eating it. Get your crunch on!

Easy Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

I found this amazing recipe at Tasty Kitchen. It was posted by Lemanda.

These blonde beauties are fantastic. They’ve received rave reviews over at Tasty Kitchen too. What I love about them is how simple and fast they whip up. A few basic ingredients work their magic to create warm-cinnamon- sugared-bliss.

Healthy Weekday Morning Hot Chocolate

This hot cocoa is not too sweet. Deep, rich chocolate flavor is the star. The cinnamon and chili are supporting actors. The sugar is kept at a minimum.

Did you know that the Victorians loved hot chocolate too? They would consume large amounts of it throughout the day, believing in its health benefits. The Victorian version of hot cocoa was often made with cinnamon, vanilla and chili. The first recipe for "chocolate drink" was published in 1644. It was served in fancy demitasse cups and pretty chocolate pots.

Healthy Hot Chocolate Cereal

It's only natural that a serious chocolate addict would find a way to use it in her morning cereal. Velvety cocoa powder is stirred into simmering cereal. The result is a warm bowl of chocolaty goodness. Cocoa is high in antioxidants. You can feel good about eating this. It'll keep you full for hours.