Accidentally Low-Sugar Chocolate Pecan Banana Bread

My Year of Pancakes hit a mid-year slump. We are probably moving houses, possibly as soon as next month. The new place has a big fancy kitchen in which to make lots of big fancy pancakes (and other yummies). I'm excited. I'm also busy packing and cleaning and painting and did I mention packing and cleaning?

Yeah, cookbooks are packed. Many of my baking pans are packed. Not that you'd know it by looking at my cupboards. Ahem, not that I have a lot of baking pans or anything (Hey, I like to cook so back off, k?) :) News flash: moving is hard work. Exponentially harder with children than it was when my husband and I last did it as newly-engaged twenty-somethings.

This morning, we all are in need of tasty, easy, comfort food to help soothe frazzled nerves. So, banana bread. Banana bread with pecans. Banana bread with chocolate chips and pecans. Easy peasy and it make the house smell so good.

The silly part about this recipe is that I forgot the sugar. Normally, I would have added 3/4 cup of sugar along with the bananas, and you still can if you prefer. But with all of the banana and the extra chocolate, it is still kid-tested and approved.

Chocolate Pecan Banana Bread
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I like Penzey's Ceylon cinnamon in banana bread)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed bananas (3 super-over-ripe bananas)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mash bananas. This is a small-child-friendly-task--just provide a potato masher and get ready for the giggles.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whik flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
4. Once you manage to extract the banana mash from the hands of your tiny sous chef, whisk in the egg and butter. Note, this is the point of the recipe where you could add sugar, if you're not distracted by curious kittens and children and your lack of morning coffee.
5. Stir the banana mixture into the dry mixture with a spatula just until combined.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
7. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake about 45-55 minutes. 
8. Let the bread cool in the pan about 10 minutes before removing.  Serve hot if you're impatient, or cool on a wire rack if you can wait that long.