Bread

Banana Bread & Babies

February 22, 2012

Did you know February 23 is National Banana Bread Day? I saw on Twitter that is it also national Chili day?? Lots of yummy food options today. Any excuse to make a loaf is fine by me. DOLE Banana’s is celebrating today on their facebook page. Tastespotting is also dedicating their front page to Banana Bread, and my recipe has made the front page! Check it out.

You can also check out my other Banana bread recipes here, and a Zucchini Banana Bread Bundt recipe here, and Zucchini Banana muffins.

I made this banana bread last week for Adam. I was still on my allergy diet (you can read about it here, here and here), so I wasn’t allowed to eat it but had the banana’s around that needed to be baked into something. I usually freeze them when they get too ripe, but using frozen banana’s for banana bread never quite yields the same deliciously sweet taste. So I thought I would take advantage of the perfectly ripened fruit in the bowl.

I have had to veer from my allergy diet slightly to accomodate my recent dental surgery. *Wisdom Teeth Removal*…

I went in on Thursday last week for my wisdom teeth removal. All four needed to come out, as the bottom ones were impacted and would not come out on their own. I was pretty nervous beforehand, as I’ve never had any sort of ‘minor’ surgery, and I had never been put under with intravenous anesthesia. The second the needle went in I checked out. I did not remember a thing. It was nice while it lasted. The numbness lasted pretty much all day. The next day was swollen but the pain killers helped. Unfortunately, they also made me quite sick so I had to stop taking the codeine. I also developed a fever, with chills and sweats. It has been almost a week and I have yet to sleep an entire night since the surgery. I am not a night owl, and never had a problem sleeping. So only getting a few hours a night has sucked. Big time.

It got even better when I began having serious pain in my lower jaw. I went back to the dentist, and sure enough I had a lovely dry socket, something that commonly occurs (google it if ya like..). It is quite painful. I also have muscle and nerve damage which is like a throbbing numbing pain in my entire jaw running down my neck and collar bone. I feel like my head is about 10 lbs heavier and in a vice being pushed together. The ‘dry socket’ packing worked at first but the taste of it is making me sick. I hope it heals soon.

My ‘allergy diet’ now includes a lot of pudding. I don’t think I have eaten that much pudding in my entire life. And chicken noodle soup. I am also still eating my weight in mashed potatoes and cranberries. It sucks because of my dairy allergy I can’t have things like milkshakes or yogurt. Even the pudding has dairy in it, and while It makes my stomach upset I just take another pill to counteract that as well. I did try to make pudding with almond milk but it did not set.. haha. It was more like pudding soup. Any idea why? Is there something in milk that makes it set that is not in the almond milk perhaps?

This week was also extra special because another sort of ‘bun in the oven’ was finally born! Adam’s sister had a baby girl on Monday night!!! Adam and I are now an aunty and uncle =)=) She is absolutely perfect! It was so amazing to be outside of the room waiting for her to be born. We all screamed in excitment when we learned it was a girl (they hadn’t found out the sex of the baby before.) What a wonderful experience! We are eagerly waiting to go and see her sweet little face again. Adam already bought some pink things to bring over, as, as of now, we had bought safe colours such as yellow and greys. But, the girl needs something pink!

This banana bread is simple and delicious. I will be making a loaf to bring over to the new parents soon.

* You want your loaf to rise, and crack on top, not to be hard and flat. Make sure eggs are at room temperature, and whisk thoroughly. You want a nice peak when it bakes. Add the flour/dry ingredients in three parts, ending with dry and mixing well*

Old Fashioned Hand-Mixed Banana Bread with Pumpkin Seeds

Recipe slightly adapted from Joy of Cooking 75th Anniversary Edition

  • 2-3 well ripened bananas, mashed by fork
  • 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.
  2. Whisk together thoroughly the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in bowl.
  3. In large bowl with whisk mix oil and sugar thoroughly by hand.
  4. Beat in the flour mixture until blended.
  5. Gradually beat in eggs one at a time.
  6. Fold in just until combined: mashed bananas and pumpkin seeds
  7. Spread evenly in pan. sprinkle top with more pumpkin seeds. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes.
  8. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5-10 minutes before un-molding to cool completely on the rack.

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13 Comments

  • Reply Grandma Kat February 23, 2012 at 3:21 PM

    Thanks for sharing this recipe with me. I will have to give it a go this weekend. Two of my great grandchildren are coming over for me to watch them. So, we will have fun making this recipe. 😉

    Grandma Kat
    XOXOXOXOXO

    • Reply Alicia February 23, 2012 at 3:51 PM

      Grandma Kat: Glad to hear you will try it out! Hope you have a great time with your great grandchildren! Thanks for checking it out 🙂

  • Reply Danielle February 23, 2012 at 3:39 PM

    I was super freaked out when I got my wisdom teeth out. I was on a lot of drugs and only remember weird parts of it. The teeth on my lower jaw were so big that my dentist could barely get them out. It caused me a lot of pain and a lot of busing (can’t remember if I’ve already told you this story or not!?).

    The worst part of the whole experience was definitely the codine. It made me so sick that I couldn’t eat anything, and I was already freaked out about eating because of all the gross mouth business that was going on. Not a good scene.

    Anyways, hope you get better soon! Sounds like it has been a very rough ride so far.

    • Reply Alicia February 23, 2012 at 3:50 PM

      Danielle: Yes it’s weird not remembering anything!! They broke apart two of the teeth before they pulled them, and the other two are still whole. I don’t know why they even give you the teeth back! haha who wants them?? Luckily I did not bruise a lot, only small patch on my jaw. The codine does suck doesn’t it! Thanks so much 🙂 It is already feeling like it is better!

  • Reply Auntie Heas February 23, 2012 at 8:24 PM

    I Love banana bread and yours looks great! I use the recipe from my Moms (Grandma’s) red roses cookbook from the 60’s has no oil I will have to forward to you. Why does your blog not mention your convalescing at your Aunts house!! 😉

  • Reply Hinna February 24, 2012 at 3:37 AM

    Thanks for sharing Alicia! I love banana bread and can’t wait to try it.

    I had my wisdom teeth taken out when I was in high school. Everything was normal until my brother decided to poke me in the jaw. That poke gave me a cheek that looked like it had a golf ball stuck in it and a bad infection.

    Hope you feel better soon! *hugz*

  • Reply I Surrender » Bakeaholic February 28, 2012 at 7:43 PM

    […] whole getting-my-wisdom-teeth-out thing put a damper in the diet, while I consumed too many pudding cups than any human should. Also, […]

  • Reply Moving on Up » Bakeaholic March 6, 2012 at 10:41 AM

    […] a couple weeks ago while I was recovering from my wisdom teeth removal, and Adam’s sister was in labour, he thought it would be a great time to purchase a new […]

  • Reply Linda March 6, 2012 at 11:32 PM

    I have been looking for ages for a good banana bread recipe, and I finally found yours and it is fantastic..
    Thank you so much, I made 4 loaves this weekend, and my 2 teenagers ate 3 of them in one day..

    • Reply Alicia March 7, 2012 at 9:06 AM

      Linda: So glad you liked it! ANd that your kids also enjoyed it!! They do disappear quickly.. 🙂

  • Reply Heather September 24, 2012 at 8:33 PM

    Where is the link for your other banana bread loafs? You used to have another one on here if I remember right.. it’s the recipe I’ve used for a few years.. Fail proof. But, it’s gone!

    • Reply Alicia September 24, 2012 at 9:45 PM

      Hi Heather! I’ve sent you an e-mail with the link I think you are referring to! Let me know =)

  • Reply Two Thousand Twelve » Bakeaholic December 31, 2012 at 9:44 AM

    […]  Banana Bread + Welcoming our new little niece + Eliminating foods (Allergies) […]

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