Moist and delicious Banana bread with Cranberries and Almonds

So last week...The highlight of my busy hectic day was .... A slice of home baked banana bread!! So moist and delicious...will easily beat the store bought one!!
It's easy to find joy in small things...the mundane things...and brighten and freshen up your day....the only problem is you should be able to 'look' for such things around you.

I have always loved banana bread and back in India we would make a very rustic version with semolina, bananas and yogurt.
This one, that I baked, received a comment of being a 'Upscalish' banana bread ...and I agree that it looks kind of fancy with the dried cranberries and chopped almonds:)

Method:
Mix together 1.5 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt.
In another bowl mash 2 ripe bananas, 1/3 cup oil, 4 tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla essence. Add 1/4 cup dry cranberries and chopped almonds.
Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Bake in greased pan at 350F, till golden brown. Takes about 25-30 mins.

"Nutritious and Delicious"- "Fat free" and "Good for you" Chocolate-Banana-Walnut Muffins

Wow...I am really doing this...totally into "Nutritious and Delicious" mode!!! "Fat free" muffins?? Seriously???

Yeah..I had couple bananas sitting in the fruit rack and a trip planned to Chicago for the long weekend. I had to use up the bananas and also make some snack for the kids for the trip.I found this amazing recipe which fell into "Nutritious and Delicious" category of my blog.
http://www.handletheheat.com/2011/04/chocolate-banana-muffins.html
Totally went for it with some modifications...and let me tell ya...you are not going to miss that butter/ oil in those yummyliciously nutritious muffins!
They are so moist with the bananas and apple sauce....And the whole wheat flour,the flax seed meal and the walnuts make them 'good for you'!! The Feel good Indulgence!!

Ingredients:
2 ripe Bananas
4 oz Applesauce
1/2 cup Whole Wheat flour
1/2 cup All purpose flour
1tbsp Flax seed meal
1 Egg
1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1/4 cup Dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup Sugar
1tsp Baking powder
1tsp Baking soda
1/4tsp Salt
Few Walnuts chopped

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 375F. Line the muffin pan with cupcake liners
2) Mash the banana with fork and potato masher.Mix applesauce, egg and sugar with the bananas.
3) Sift all the dry ingredients together.
4) Mix the wet and dry ingredients just till well combined.DO NOT OVERMIX!
5) Fold in the chocolate chips and stir twice.
6) Pour in the muffin pans till 3/4th full. Add few chopped walnuts on top. Makes 12 muffins

7) Bake at 375F for 20 mins.Check with toothpick if properly baked. The toothpick should come out clean.

8) Cool on a rack. Store in airtight container at room temperature for upto 3 days or store in refrigerator.

 You will love indulging yourself into the chocolaty goodness that is so good for you ...they truly are Yummylicously Nutritious!!!