Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I've been making this bread for years now and it turns out perfect every time. If you have bananas sitting on your counter that are about to make their way to the trash can - STOP! Grab these other ingredients (that you will likely have on hand) and make this. Then eat it for breakfast, a snack, slice it and take it to your small group on Sunday morning or keep a loaf for yourself and give the other to a neighbor. But whatever you do, don't throw away those bananas! :)

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

3 1/2 Cups Flour
3 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Cups Mashed Ripe Bananas (around 4 bananas)
2 TBSP Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup Oil
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
3 Eggs
3/4 Cup Milk
6 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I use mini chips)

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

With mixer, blend bananas and lemon juice until pureed. Then mix in the sugar, oil, eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Add milk until just mixed in. Add dry ingredients in a few batches, blending well each time before adding more. Stir in chocolate chips.

Grease 2 loaf pans and bake at 350 for 50 min-1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove from pan. If not eating these immediately, cool completely before storing. I usually wrap well in plastic wrap and then cover in foil.

Copycat Chipotle Grill Burrito Bowls

Since moving to Indiana, I've discovered a yummy spot to eat called Chipotle Grill. If you've never been to one, think Tex-mex version of Subway. Just with MUCH fresher and better ingredients. So, their burrito bowls are just amazing. They are a bowl full of burrito ingredients like cilantro lime rice, black beans, seasoned chicken (or steak), cheese, lettuce, guacamole, etc. - just without the tortilla shell. And let me just say - the cilantro lime rice is divine. Totally makes the dish. I just love them and I told Mike that I was pretty sure that I could recreate that same meal at home. And tonight, I did just that. I wish I had a picture to share with you - but we all ate it so fast, that I didn't think about a picture until I was cleaning up the kitchen. Oh well - you'll get the idea. It's a bowl full of the following things - and before you dismiss the recipe because it seems like a lot of different steps, just trust me, they are all easy to do and it comes together quickly!

Cilantro Lime Rice

1 Cup Basmati Rice
2 Cups Water
1 tsp. Salt
1 Lime, zest included
3 tsp. Vegetable Oil, divided
3 TBSP Fresh, Chopped Cilantro

Add rice, water, salt and 1 tsp. oil to pan. Bring to boil, stir and then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once liquid is absorbed, fluff rice with a fork, add remaining 2 tsp. oil, lime juice and zest and cilantro and stir well.


Seasoned Black Beans

1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
2 Cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
Dash Cayenne Pepper
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 a lime

In a pan, add oil, onion and garlic. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until onion has become translucent. Add water, black beans and seasonings to pan, bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes or until liquid is almost gone. Stir in lime juice.


For my chicken, I took 3 chicken breasts and put them on a cookie sheet. Pour a small amount of olive oil on both sides of each breast (enough to lightly coat) and sprinkle with the following spice mix: 1 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. chili powder and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bake breasts at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Shred meat and set aside to assemble burrito bowls.

To assemble bowls, add rice to bottom. Next add seasoned black beans, chicken and then top with any (or all) of the following items:

Guacamole
Cheese
Sour Cream
Pico
Shredded Lettuce
Salsa

ENJOY!!!!