The Story
I’ve always been the type of person who overcommits. If there’s a club, a project, or an event that needs volunteers, chances are I’ll raise my hand before I even realize what I’m getting myself into. I tell myself I can handle it—I mean, how hard could it be? But then, a few weeks in, I find myself buried under a pile of deadlines, wondering why I agreed to so much in the first place.
It’s not that I don’t love staying busy. I thrive on being productive, but sometimes I take it too far. Like last month, when I had three group projects, an essay due, and a friend’s birthday party to plan—all in the same week. By the time Friday rolled around, I was running on nothing but caffeine and stress, and I could feel it catching up with me. That’s when it hit me: I needed to stop for a second, breathe, and do something that wasn’t on anyone else’s to-do list.
That’s how I ended up making banana chocolate chip bread that night. It wasn’t planned or even remotely practical (let’s be honest, I had zero free time), but it felt necessary. There’s something about the process of baking that always grounds me. Mashing the bananas, stirring the batter, watching it rise in the oven—it’s like therapy, but with carbs.
And when I finally pulled the bread out of the oven, golden and studded with gooey chocolate chips, I realized something. Sometimes, you have to put yourself on your own priority list. You can’t give your best to everything else if you’re not giving yourself the space to recharge. That loaf of banana bread didn’t solve all my problems, but it reminded me that it’s okay to take a break. And honestly, isn’t that what baking is all about?
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.Mash the Bananas:
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth.Mix the Wet Ingredients:
Add the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir until well combined.Combine the Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix.Add the Chocolate Chips:
Gently fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a few to sprinkle on top of the batter.Bake the Bread:
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top for extra indulgence. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Cool and Slice:
Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
Tips:
- For an extra nutty flavor, add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.
- If you don’t have ripe bananas on hand, roast them in their peels at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes to bring out their natural sweetness.
- This bread freezes beautifully—wrap individual slices in plastic wrap for a quick, grab-and-go snack later.
Enjoy,
Lauren