bread

Mix It Up | Browned Butter Macadamia Nut and Cinnamon Chip Banana Bread

Well friends, here we are, another Monday. The furthest day of the week from the beloved weekend. As such, Mondays seem to have a bit of a bad reputation. I mean, how many times have you heaved a big sigh on Sunday night and said/thought “Ugh, it’s Monday tomorrow”?

But Mondays aren’t all bad. For one thing, you’re probably more likely to be well-rested on a Monday, given that it follows the weekend and most people are able to sleep in and relax a bit more. On Mondays, you have the whole week ahead of you – it’s yours for the taking! So spruce it up a bit – make some plans with friends to enjoy a patio beverage, plan to try that yoga/crossfit/pilates class that you’ve been meaning to get to, kick back and relax with a glass of wine and a good book – and enjoy the day. You might also wish to make this little diddy of a banana bread.

First of all, browning butter has become a bit of a trend. And it’s popular for good reason – browning the butter adds depth to the flavor of the bread – it’s kind of nutty and definitely insanely delicious. Try it once and you’ll be hooked. Secondly, I’ve added macadamia nuts and cinnamon chips. As I mentioned before, I brought home a sweet little stash of macadamia nuts from Hawaii back in April. I took a bus tour of the Road to Hana during my trip and one of the stops was a little roadside food store that sold fresh coconuts (remember this?), pineapple, banana bread, and other treats. I bought a loaf of the macadamia nut banana bread, which inspired me to add some macadamia nuts to this recipe. Cinnamon chips are a fun addition and create little pockets of cinnamon goodness in each bite. Cinnamon chips are something that I haven’t been able to find here at home, but I brought home a couple of bags from the same trip. They seem to be easy to find in grocery stores in the United States (in the baking section right next to the chocolate chips). If you can’t find cinnamon chips where you are, add a little cinnamon flavor to the loaf with one teaspoon of the stuff.

A warm slice of this banana bread is certain to make your Monday better. That’s a guarantee. Make it, eat it, share it. Let’s start this week off right!

Browned Butter Macadamia Nut and Cinnamon Chip Banana Bread (inspired by Joy the Baker)

Makes one 9×5-inch loaf.

1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, browned

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt)

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

1/2 cup cinnamon chips (or 1 tsp. cinnamon)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan as the butter cooks. The butter will foam and crackle, and then it will start to brown and smell nutty (this takes about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Measure the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and bananas. Add the cooled butter and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and gently mix together. Fold in the macadamia nuts and cinnamon chips.

Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and gently smooth out. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!

How To Beat The Winter Blues | Lemon Blueberry Walnut Bread

Do you ever have days where you just can’t, and I mean CANNOT, muster up the energy to do something that you really need to do? As in, even if someone offered you $100 to complete this task, you still just couldn’t do it?

For example, today I just CANNOT do the dishes. The sink is full of them. Dirty pots and pans, crusty bowls, cups, even things that I really just should have put in the dishwasher, but even the idea of opening up the dishwasher door, pulling out the rack, and placing these items in their proper place was just too much for this old gal.

Friends, I haven’t done the dishes in 3 days. THREE. Eww. They’re even starting to…smell. (I can’t believe I just admitted that.)

And you know who is to blame? Winter. Cold, dreary, let’s-get-dark-at-five-o’clock-just-when-everyone-is-getting-off-work-so-they-get-zero-vitamin-D-cause-that’s-fun (not) winter. It is during these months that it takes practically all I’ve got to not change into my sweatpants, wrap myself in a snuggie (yes, I own a snuggie), and watch TV/surf Pinterest all night long with a bottle of wine and a plate of leftover Christmas cookies at my side. Hmm…that’s a frightening visual. My apologies.

Don’t worry, I’ve figured out a few ways to beat those winter blues. Running, yoga, and the thought of not being able to fit into any of my clothes come May, to name a few. Oh, and bread! Bright, summery, delicious bread!

Lemon Blueberry Walnut Bread | Once Upon a Recipe

A trick from Joy…rub the zest into the sugar to release the essential oils in the zest = flavor town.

Let’s take a break from hot soups and casseroles and other wintery things, mmm-k? Let’s smack winter in the face and enjoy the flavors of summer!

Real talk: I first made this bread back in September, when it was technically still summer. Blueberries were at their seasonal prime. BUT! I have seen fresh blueberries pop up at my local supermarket on more than one occasion as of late. And if all else fails, use frozen blueberries.

Don’t be discouraged! We’re all going to get through this together. Just make yourself a loaf of this bread, enjoy a slice or two with your morning tea or coffee, and let’s start plotting all of the fun we’re going to have this summer. It’ll be here before we know it!

Lemon Blueberry Walnut Bread (adapted from allrecipes.com)

It’s no secret that lemon and blueberries are a match made in heaven. The walnuts in this bread add a nice little twist, and the glaze adds some extra moisture and tartness. If this bread won’t get you out of bed on a cold, dark morning, I’m not sure what will!

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

Zest from 2 lemons

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 TBSP. butter, melted

2 TBSP. vegetable oil

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

For the glaze:

Juice from 2 lemons

3 TBSP. sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a dry skillet, toast the walnuts over medium-high heat for a few minutes or until just fragrant. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, melted butter and oil. Whisk to combine.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the liquid mixture and stir gently until just combined; do not over-mix. Gently fold in the walnuts and blueberries.

Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan (8″x4″). Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 20 minutes; remove from pan.

For the glaze, combine the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and continue stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the glaze over the bread while still warm. Slice and enjoy! Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and consume within a few days.