Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

²/3 cup sugar

¹/₃ cup shortening

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup mashed banana (it works best with very ripe bananas)

¼ chopped walnuts

¾ teaspoon salt

Grease and flour an 8x4 inch bread pan. Stir together all the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

In another bowl, mix the sugar and shortening together with an electric mixer. Add eggs one a time, and then the milk. Then alternate adding some of the dry mixture and the mashed bananas, mixing until smooth after each addition. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

Put the batter into the bread pan and bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for about ten minutes before removing.  Enjoy with cream cheese or just on its own!

Sweet Zucchini Bread

This zucchini bread is so delish, you'll be able to trick vegetable-haters into loving it.

Ingredients

    3 cups flour

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon baking powder

    1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

    3 eggs

    1 cup vegetable oil

    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    2 ¼ cups sugar

    2 cups grated zucchini

    1 cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts of your choice)

Grease and flour two 8x4 inch bread pans. 

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

Beat the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beating well. Stir in the zucchini and chopped nuts.

Pour the batter into the two pans and bake for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.  Cool for a few minutes before eating.

*Healthier version:

Since my kids LOVE this bread, I've been making it a lot. They don't even notice the difference when I make this healthier version.

    1 1/2 cups white or wheat flour
    1 1/2 cups chickpea flour

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon baking powder

    1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

    3 eggs

    1 cup coconut oil

    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/2 cup stevia (for baking)

    2 cups grated zucchini
    1 cup applesauce

    1 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts

They can also be made into muffins, cooking them 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.