Cranberry Orange Banana Bread

Happy New Years Everyone!

Well today starts a new year, meaning new hopes, new goals and I know a better year then 2011.  Though I have to say 2011 wasn’t to bad of a year for me, after all I started my blog this fall and met so many nice people.  I wanted to say thank you so much for your encouragement and support.  You have challenged me to go beyond my comfort zone, try new things and best of all get back to cooking.

I have enjoyed cooking and baking so much.  It was one of those things I enjoyed in the past, but kind of gotten away from it with all the craziness life brings you.  I think cooking brings friends, families and new people together, after all who doesn’t love food?  So again I wanted to say thank you!  I am looking forward to seeing what I create and what you create in 2012.  Holding up my bottle of water and saying cheers!

So with all that I wanted to start the year out right with an Cranberry Orange Banana Bread.  I seem to have a little bit of a love affair with cranberry and orange encase you haven’t noticed, I have made Cranberry Orange Scones and Cranberry Orange Biscotti.  I just love the combination and now I created this moist delicious bread, which I will make again and again.

This bread is so healthy for you!  It’s just a 80 calories a slice.  Talk about guilt free.  You can make one fat loaf or do as I did and make 3 mini loafs.  I like making the mini loafs, so my Hubby can take one to work, I freeze one and leave the other out for me to nibble on.

This bread is made with fresh cranberries, pure orange extract, a little orange zest and best of all no oil or butter!  I used applesauce instead.  Talk about a moist and healthy bread!  You can’t beat this!!

Yesterday Little Jenny and I went to Trader Joe’s, I know your shocked!  But what a find I found, look at these little babies Jenny is holding.  Only $2.39!

Ok, I totally like buying weird looking things but come on, how fun.  Now you know I don’t like Brussels Sprouts, but when I made this recipe, I fell in love and I need to make it again.  The only thing I don’t like about Brussels Sprouts is they smell like toots, yes I said it, toots!  I re-heated some up for lunch and my co-workers couldn’t eat with me because it stunk up the kitchen.  He he  See now you know what to do to get rid of people!

Now back to the Cranberry Orange Banana Bread.  Look at the nook and kranies!

Cranberry Orange Banana Bread – adapted from my Banana Blueberry Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup egg substitute or two eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 mashed very ripe bananas (approximately 1 cup)

1 tsp pure orange extract

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, cut in half

1 Tbsp. Orange Zest

Directions:

1 Mix together dry ingredients until well combined.

2 In a separate bowl, mix eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, orange extract, orange zest and mashed bananas.

3 Stir banana mixture into flour mixture, and then add cranberries.

4 Stir carefully

5 Bake in a greased loaf pan or (3 mini pans for 30 minutes) for approximately one hour at 350°F.

6 Bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 18 slices, approx 6 slices per mini loaf

Calories per slice:  80,  Fat:  .02,  Sodium:  144, Potassium:  75,  Carbs:  18,  Fiber:  1.3,  Sugar:  8,  Protein:  1.9

Love those stats?  You know I’m thinking of you and bringing in the new year on a good healthy start!

One thing I have to say I am really loving my new camera.  I really need to dig the book out and read it.  I hate reading that stuff.  I wish I could just have someone show me, life would be easier.  I guess all the fun is playing around and figuring this stuff out.  So I want to say thank you to my supportive husband who I drive nuts with all my baking and cooking for buying me this camera.  So thank you my dear!  Just think of all the healthy stuff I can make you next year!  I’m sure he didn’t want to hear that.  If I tell him there’s bacon in it, he’ll eat it.  lol

Well it’s time for me to figure out what else I can do with my banana’s, so stayed tune for another banana recipe to come in the near future.  Happy New Years Everyone!!!  Here’s to a wonderful, exciting 2012!  I can’t wait to see what is in store!  xxoo – Jennifer