Trail Mix Banana Bread

Remember that time I decided Cleveland in January wasn’t so bad?

Me too…it was 60 degrees. And I decided when it got cold again…no bigs. I had the memory of spring, and what was to come.

That lasted two days. I’m just here to tell you the truth.

Also…I’m painting my nails with every pastel and summer bright color I own. Deal with it.

My laundry basket is overflowing, and ignoring it seems acceptable…because I did the dishes today.

I slutted up banana bread, and ate giant slices of it, smeared with Cookies and Cream Peanut Butter for breakfast.

These are just the things on my guilt brain today. Somehow telling you them makes things better.

Slutted up banana bread actually means this…I added everything to it that I like in a trail mix/granola situation. Rolled oats replace a little bit of flour and chocolate chips, pomegranate seeds and cinnamon sugar glazed almonds stud the bread.

(Cinnamon sugar glazed almonds are a lot like this. My mom gave me a whole heap of these from her leftover from the holidays stash.) If you just have regular almonds, or another nut in your pantry, it would work just as well.

I love fancifying banana bread. It feels like an empty canvas…and this is one of my favorite adaptations yet. Bonus! My house smells bonkers amazing when this is in the oven. Amazing enough to inspire me to forget the chaos in my guilt brain…and eat a second slice.

Trail Mix Banana Bread
recipe adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups ripe, mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (the seeds of about half a pomegranate)
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Remove seeds from pomegranate, chop nuts and set both aside. Then, to prepare bread, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yogurt, vanilla and mashed banana. Add flours, baking soda and salt and mix well. Gently fold in pomegranate seeds, nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.