Groovy Banana Bread

Yes, the berries are very nice right now. The peaches are beginning to show themselves, and the plums aren't far behind. But even if the fruit changes seasonally, bananas rule in my house, a constant in the fruit bowl year 'round. The warm weather, though, ripens these babies so fast that within a day or so, they're no fun anymore - soft, black, and funky. You can put them in the fridge to delay the inevitable, but cold bananas aren't the same treat. (Robed in chocolate and frozen, however, is another matter).

So, when the 'nanners start to go south, I pull out my bread pan and commence baking. This is my favorite banana bread recipe, adapted over the years from a recipe I found in an old vegetarian cookbook back in the days of tie-dyed caftans and love beads. It's made with whole wheat flour only, along with some wheat germ (wheat germ ruled back in the 70's), a small amount of brown sugar, a lone egg (which I sometimes skip), and canola oil. With the addition of walnuts, you have a real powerhouse of healthy ingredients here. I sometimes add some mini chocolate chips, but skipped them this time. For a real flashback, try sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Even easier is to just mix up a couple of batches of the dry ingredients - including nuts and chocolate chips - and store it in freezer bags. That way, it's easy to mash up the bananas, grab a bag of pre-measured ingredients, and put together a loaf, pronto. Because you know: there are some funky bananas in your future.

It's not a light and buttery loaf, but a tad dense and incredibly nutty and banana-y. It's what a healthy snack should taste like. As with any quick bread, it's better if left to sit until the next day. But do you have that kind of self-restraint? As soon as my husband smells it, he starts brewing a pot of herbal tea. A slice of this bread, a cup of Red Zinger, a little sitar music...close your eyes and be transported back to your first yurt.

Groovy Banana Bread
(1 loaf)

1 Cup ripe bananas, peeled (2 medium bananas are good)
1 large egg
1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
1/3 Cup canola oil
1-1/2 Cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts or mini chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray an 8" x 4" loaf pan.

In a big bowl, mash the banana and stir in the egg, sugar, and oil until well-mixed. In a smaller bowl, stir together the dry ingredients - along with the nuts or chips, if you're using them. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones, mixing just enough to bring the batter together - don't overmix! This makes a stiff batter.

Spread in the pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. The toothpick test should come out clean. Taking a temp with an instant thermometer is more accurate; you should be in the 200 to 220 degree F. range. Turn out onto a rack immediately.