I've been living on Banana Bread...

Hey Blog Readers! 

So I've lived a way from home before... I spent a brief period in Dublin and 3 years in uni in Limerick but it would be fair to say that I led the typical "student" lifestyle in terms of my diet and what I ahem "cooked"... However, now living so far away from home, in Los Angeles, things are completely different... I've had to learn to plan, prepare and cook lots of different meals and snacks! 

One that I've found myself baking all of the time is banana bread... not as a dinner but as a filling snack that I can eat hot or cold and can grab and bring with me as an alternative snack when I spend long days on set. Basically it's extremely handy and easy to make so I thought I would share... 

PS. Thank you to my sister, Lauren, for telling me how to make it :) Love you!x! 

Ingredients: 

• Butter (I use margarine instead) and how much you use is up to you. They say 1/2 a cup but obviously the more you cut down on the butter the healthier your bread will be! 
• Sugar (I opt for brown sugar if possible). I use about the same amount as how much butter you choose to use. (the real recipe says 1cup)
• Flour (wholemeal is the healthier option) 2 cups.
• Bananas (I use two full size large bananas... because I like mine to be "banana-yy, lol). 
• 2 eggs. 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda.

Steps: 

1. Preheat the over to 350'degrees! 
2. Cream the sugar and butter together in a bowl. 
3. Add the eggs and mix. 
4. Break up the banana and mush it in with the other ingredients. 
5. Add the flour! The recipe says 2cups of flour but It's pretty easy to estimate how much flour you need once you mix it in as it will develop into a paste that you then spread evenly over the baking dish/tray. Keep in mind it needs to be thick enough to work as a bread but still given room to rise a little. 
6. Add 1 teaspoon (not tablespoon) of baking soda to the mixture before spreading. less is more with baking soda as it is needed to help the bread rise and develop but you don't want to taste it! (Believe me I learnt this the hard way). 
7. Place in the oven to bake! It takes 45mins to an hour! I usually end up taking it out after 45 and find that that's enough! to test if it's done prod the bread with a fork and if the fork comes out clean it's ready!! 

Finally: ENJOY :) I like mine warm (if it's been a while since cooking 30 seconds in the microwave is plenty) and with a cup of tea! 

Always cover the remaining, allow to cool and store in the fridge or freeze. Break off a piece when you want some and put it in a lunch box to bring with you = perfect snack during a busy day :) 

Once you've mastered it go ahead and experiment! you can add oats, seeds, nuts.. basically what ever you fancy :) I was naughty and added some peanut butter when making mine today and it was yumm ;) haha 

ALSO bruised bananas that you don't want to eat are actually perfect (better than ripe) for your banana bread - so put them to use! you won't even notice once cooked! 

Let me know if you try it!! :) 

Lots of Love, 

Shahira Xo

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