when life hands you bananas…

Ahhh it is so satisfying to feel so productive : )

Clean room? Check.  Movie? Check. Dress? Check. Groceries? Check. Cupcakes? 1/2 fail.  More in a minute….

Being away at school is nice because I get to cook whatever I want for my meals!  I have a healthy meal plan that a nutritionist put together for me and I have gotten very comfortable with getting my body the things it needs every day.  Some yummy treasures I found at the grocery store…

When I’m home, we usually eat as a family.  Sometimes, I eat my own food, sometimes I eat what my mom prepares, and sometimes I make dinner  a la bake n’ shake for the family!  Tonight was one of those nights where I made my own grub and man was it yummy : )

"please eat me"

Kitchen salad ft. baby tomatoes, salsa-lito turkey, sauteed mushrooms and toasted walnuts

more like crack potatoes

I AM OBSESSED WITH SWEET POTATOES.  These are wonderful, just roasted in the oven for ~30 min.  Don’t worry, this is 3 small sweet potatoes, enough for the whole fam!

Okay so back to the cupcakes…I have to go down to see my doctors at school tomorrow (wompwomppp) so I wanted to make the wonderful nurses some cupcakes!  Unfortaunatly, after all my errands the prospect of cupcakes seemed a little daunting.  Instead, I saved those for later this week and set out to make banana bread!

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

I tried this recipe several months ago and haven’t made a different recipe since!  It is wonderful; so moist and not too sweet, all in all the perfect banana bread

mmmm cinnamon...

Things I love about this recipe:

1. it is DELICIOUS

2. it only makes one pretty big loaf, just enough so you can finish it while it’s still fresh

3. only. one. bowl. chaaaa chinggg! (well 2 if you count the swirl, but hey, still pretty good : ))

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

3 ripe bananas

1/3 cup melted butter (cooled)

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg (room temperature)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

dash of salt

1 1/2 cups flour

Swirl

1/4-1/3 cup sugar

3/4 – 1 Tbs cinnamon

-Butter 9×5 in pan and preheat oven to 350.  Mix together swirl ingredients in a separate bowl.

-Mix together: mashed ‘naners, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla (Tip: I know the is obvious, but make sure your butter has cooled before you add the egg, I always forget : )).

-Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix JUST until combined and not a stroke more!

-Pour half the batter into your pan.  Sprinkle 1/2 the sugar mixture over it and then cover that with the remaining batter.  Sprinkle the rest of the sugar on top of the loaf.  Bake for ~50 min, but keep an eye on it!

-Devour!

Make. This. Now.