CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

Ingredients 

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• ¼ c. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 bag semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips 
• 2 c. bananas (2-3 ripe & mashed bananas)
• ½ c. butter, melted
• ¼ c. milk
• 2 eggs
• Cinnamon for crust (optional)

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, whisk together bananas, butter, milk, vanilla and eggs. Pour over the flour mixture and stir until blended. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Pour mixture into the loaf pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a rack or serving plate. Serve warm.

Reprinted from Equal Exchange.

Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas

Via Kara Stout

Ingredients 

• 4 ripe (but not brown) Equal Exchange bananas, bottoms trimmed, but unpeeled
• 6 ounces Equal Exchange Organic Dark Chocolate, broken up (choose your favorite bar)
• 1/4 cup cream (or vegan option= 1 tablespoon coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup chopped topping of your choice (nuts, candied ginger, crushed cookies, coconut, etc.)

Preparation

1. Peel bananas. Pierce each banana lengthwise with a wooden skewer freeze for at least 15 minutes, or wrap tightly in plastic or foil and freeze for up to a week.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or self made double boiler), a small saucepan over very low heat, or the microwave. Whisk in the cream or coconut oil and transfer the chocolate mixture to a shallow bowl. If you're using nuts, put them on a plate next to the melted chocolate.
3. Peel the plastic / foil off bananas, dip them first in the chocolate covering the banana completely, let the chocolate drip off and cool slightly then sprinkle with toppings. Wait a few minutes and then place bananas on a piece of parchment paper in the freezer. Repeat with all of the bananas. The chocolate will cool quickly, so if necessary, reheat chocolate.
4. Freeze bananas for 30 minutes or until chocolate is hard. You can put them in a wax- paper-lined airtight container and freeze them for longer. 

Banana chocolate pieces modification: Peel bananas, cut into 1-2 inch chunks. Follow steps 2-4, but leave pieces on wax paper in freezer until chocolate is hard, then store in an airtight container.

Reprinted by Equal Exchange.

Fair Trade Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

Ingredients 

• 1 ½ c. flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 1 ¼ c. milk
• ½ c. Equal Exchange bananas, mashed (check your local food co-op!)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ c. Equal Exchange Chocolate Chips

Preparation 

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Mix milk, banana, egg and vanilla until well combined. Stir into the bowl of dry ingredients.
3. Fold in ¼ cup of the chocolate chips.
4. Spray your griddle with cooking oil and place over medium heat.
5. Pour batter onto the griddle into the pancake size you desire. Make a stack of small ones, or a few extra large pancakes!
6. Cook for about 2 minute, or until the tops begin to bubble. Then, flip the pancake and cook for another minute or until golden.
7. Work your way through the batter, reapplying cooking spray as needed.
8. Top your pancakes with more chocolate chips and serve.

Reprinted from Equal Exchange

Creamy Cocoa Banana Smoothie

Almond butter provides a rich protein boost to this smoothies, while cocoa gives it an energizing kick.

Ingredients

• 2 medium frozen bananas
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 cups vanilla almond milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Preparation

In a food processor, combine the ingredients in order, then blend. Serve immediately.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Hidden Spinach Berry Smoothie

Start your day with a big spinach salad? You will enjoy a salad's worth of healthy spinach in this luscious smoothie, and hardly notice it's there. Try freezing your own local berries when they are in season to use in smoothies all year long. When bananas start getting soft, just peel them, pop them in a freezer bag, and freeze to use in smoothies. Using frozen berries and bananas will give you a thick, almost ice-cream texture, and you may need to add a little milk to help it blend.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (8 ounces) frozen or fresh red berries, raspberries, strawberries, or a mix
• 3 cups (3 ounces) spinach (packed)
• 1 cup yogurt, kefir, or a non-dairy alternative like almond milk
• 1 large banana, fresh or frozen

Preparation

Put the berries and spinach in the blender first, and add the yogurt and banana. Process, scraping down as needed. Blend until smooth and serve.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop