This Dark Chocolate Banana Nut bread is all I can think about for this week’s Flashback Friday after that chocolate brioche bread from Whole Foods this week.
Happy Biggest Loser Day all! It’s sort of crazy to think it’s “that” time for the show again. I can honestly say that this is the first time since I’ve been watching The Biggest Loser that I am not sure if I really want to watch it. I loved watching Jillian & I think it just worked with her/Bob. I am not too excited for the “new” trainers, but, I am going to give them a one to two show chance.
Are any of you watching this season? What do you think?
I started my day with a banana plus a Venti Iced Nonfat Latte with caramel drizzle (3 points+).
When I got home, I got to work on whipping up the Banana Nut Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread I have been thinking about ever since I received this Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate as part of the Foodbuzz Taste Maker Program.
The folks over at Ghirardelli challenged us to come up with some mouth watering recipes using their Intense Dark Chocolate. My first instinct was to go for the Sea Salt Soiree, but, I resisted and decided on using the Twilight Delight 72% Cacao.
REAL ingredients that you can recognize!
2 points+ a square which isn’t too bad since a little richness goes a long way.
I decided to use my favorite Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread Recipe as my base but decided to lighten up the recipe by reducing the fat & sugar by half so I could layer in an entire bar of chocolate chunk goodness.
If you love chocolate walnut covered bananas, then, you are going to love this bread. It’s slightly dense from the bananas, crunchy from the roasted walnuts and decadent from the rich dark chocolate chunks you get in every single bite. I am pretty sure once you try it, you won’t believe it’s a Weight Watchers friendly recipe.
BANANA NUT DARK CHOCOLATE CHUNK BREAD (Print Recipe Here)
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup golden brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 oz 0% Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 small bananas, mashed
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup dry roasted chopped walnuts
- 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts for topping
- 3.5 oz Ghirardelli Intense 72% Dark Chocolate, chopped into chunks
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×5 pan with nonstick spray.
2. Cream butter, Greek yogurt and brown sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla and banana.
3. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts & chocolate until combined.
4. Pour in pan, top with additional 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Want to make Banana Nut Muffins? Follow the instructions above including sprinkle the muffin tops with chopped walnuts. Spray 14 muffin tin cups with nonstick spray and bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Makes 14 slices, 7 Smartpoints, 5 points+ each
Stretch your points by making mini muffins. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Makes 42 mini muffins for 2 Smartpoints each.
Nutritional information per slice:
It really is as good, if not better than it looks.
I planned my lunch today around having some of this Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia I picked up at Sam’s Club yesterday (don’t mind The Husband’s nibble lol).
This bread is almost the size of a cookie sheet and you get 4 points+ for 1/7th of it!
I am pretty sure I might be the ONLY person wanting soup today since it was over 100 degrees…I totally blame my cold and the fact that I CRAVE this simple Butternut Squash Soup.
Soup + Bread = LOVE! (8 points+ for lunch)
After lunch, I spent the afternoon organizing our closet, getting rid of old clothes and putting away the new clothes, then, organizing and cleaning out our guest room.
Dinner involved my new salad addiction ~ 4 Bean Salad with Sunflower Seeds over greens with 1 Tbsp Balsamic Dressing (2 points+).
It’s sweet, tangy, nutty, crunchy and doesn’t feel like you are eating a “diety” salad.
I picked up a bunch of heirloom tomatoes at the Farmer’s Market on Sunday. I decided to combine them with some garden cherry tomatoes to make up a big batch of Summer Garden Pasta with “No Cook” Tomato Basil sauce.
The verdict ~ I think it tastes better with cherry tomatoes, but, we both totally gobbled it up.
1 1/2 cups for 5 points+.
Dessert is going to be a slice of that Banana Nut Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread!
Q’s:
What is on your FALL MUST SEE TV agenda?
I know I want to watch The Next Iron Chef and probably The Biggest Loser….I think I “need” more ideas…. Share away….
Night all!
Just saw that my pic finally downloaded on the new site, not sure how that happened :We’ll be returning ton the US on Friday, so I’ll be sure to try thisn one next week when I get some food in my empty fridge 🙂
Hi old friend,
I’m not excited about BL, either. For me, it was all about Jillian. Maybe I’ll give it a chance like you… but i’m just not excited like I used to be!
xo
OK first I am soo making that bread though without the walnuts! 🙂 Second I had soup too today and it was 95 here!! Mine was tortilla soup 4pts ….My new shows I can’t wait for are The Big Bang, I have Tvoid The Playboy Club, and I am really liking the Secret Circle and Ringer!! 🙂
The “Banana Nut Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread” sounds divine! I wish you could bake me a loaf 😉 I guess I’ll be in the kitchen this weekend, I can’t resist!
P.S. I’ve watched the BL for the past few seasons and I’m having the same feelings about this season- it’s just not the same…
I have watched the BL since the first season and I have never really liked when they have switched up or added additional trainers in the past. I think the new guy might be ok, but I am not a fan of Anna. Maybe the people on the show will draw us in!
that bread sounds so good! especially with that chocolate chopped in it.
I am a newbie to your blog and read daily loving every minute. I always feel like you eat way more points than I feel like I get. I have tried multiple recipes and am always happy with them. I love the look of your 4 Bean Salad with Sunflower Seeds over greens with Balsamic Dressing but, I have searched and cannot find an actual recipe, is there one?
Thank you, Darlene from Nova Scotia, Canada
I watched the Biggest Loser last night and actually I was surprised that I didn’t even miss Jillian at all.
I sorta love the new guy trainer. He is built to the max, but I really like his personality. He seems like a keeper.
Didn’t care for Anna at all. Maybe she will get better as the show goes on. But from just watching last night’s two hours worth I am hoping that they come back next season and drop the 3 trainer thing and continue the only the two trainers…. Bob and the new guy.
My must see shows:
Biggest Loser
Dancing with the Stars
Survivor
Amazing Race
Parenthood
Top Chef
Chopped
Gray’s Anatomy
forgot a couple of real favorites:
Big Bang and Modern Family. And I probably will try a couple of the new shows like Christine Applegate’s new show I hear Pan Am is suppose to be good. New Girl and maybe Revenge might be worth giving a look at. Geez… I think I watch way too much tv. :~(
I can’t find the 4 bean salad with sunflower seeds recipe. Could you give a little more info. Looks delicious. All of your recipes do! Thanks for all your time. I have gotten back to lifetime goal and now have to work hard to keep it that way.
Thanks Danica
Lynda M
I am going to make that banana bread this weekend, looks yummy. BTW, I love your new recipage. Just realized how easy it is to print your fabulous recipes without cut and pasting! My favorite show is Top Chef, then I watch the last few shows each season of Amazing Race and DWTS.
BTW, your new site is still very slow to load.
I have enjoyed the BL but this season seems to have a slow start for me. Not a big fan of Anna, Bob is great but like others I miss Jillian.
I don’t miss Jillian at all. I felt like she was almost abusive. I like the new guy and hope Anna will improve. Love the show anyway. My favorite part was at the end of the first challenge when everyone when out to get the older team.
I’m drooling over everything today – from the coffee to the HELLO banana bread, to the soup to the pasta. Good Lord – I wish I was in your shoes (or belly) yesterday!
I haven’t been into BL for a couple years now. I loved it in the early days where people focused more on weight than game play.
Didn’t watch BL last night although I did tape it to watch later in the week while I’m ironing. Oh yes, there is still someone who irons. While my enthusiasm for BL isn’t as high as it was a year or two ago, the contestants on the program are usually always a big motivator for me to continue watching what I eat and to exercise. I don’t like the “game playing” however. Bob continues to be my favorite trainer. BL is probably the only network program I watch religiously. I’m a fan of almost all of the cooking programs and home improvement programs on cable.
Just ate my first slice of the banana bread. I subbed in pecans & TJ’s chocolate chips since that’s what I had in my house. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe. It’s moist, not super dense and really DELICIOUS!