Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread

This homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread is chock full of toasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate chunks. But the best part of this banana bread just might be the swirl of chocolate hazelnut spread baked right into each slice...

I know the first official day of fall is just right around the corner, and that probably means I should be sharing something pumpkin spice or apple... but you know what? It's 2020, so anything goes! ;) 

So instead of diving head first into all of those fall flavors, I am going to go all chocolate and hazelnut on you all first.

I mean, is it even possible to go wrong with that flavor combo no matter which season of the year that it happens to be at the moment anyways? 

This homemade banana bread is chock full of toasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate chunks. And don't even get me started on that swirl of chocolate hazel spread (aka, Nutella) baked right into each and every slice.

A slice of this Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread pairs perfectly with that morning cup of coffee, a cold glass of milk in the afternoon, or while sipping on your favorite whiskey in the evening....

Strawberry Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Inspired by the classic flavors of a PB&J, this Strawberry Peanut Butter Banana Bread is sure to quickly become a family favorite...

Strawberries are in peak season in Florida right now, and that means spring is just around the corner, folks. (Thank goodness!) That also means that you can pick up strawberries for pretty cheap at your local grocery store. I have been snagging fresh strawberries for about $2 a package for the past couple of weeks now.

In season, cheap strawberries is the perfect motivation for me to get in the kitchen and create. My family & I love anything that is inspired by the flavors of a PB&J, so I decided to take my recipe for Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Banana Bread & give it a peanut butter & jelly spin by leaving out the chocolate chunks & adding in sliced strawberries & strawberry jam. The results definitely got my family's seal of approval. :)

Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Packed full of chunks of chocolate & crunchy peanuts, this Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Banana Bread is a chocolate & peanut butter lover's dream come true...

This post is sponsored by Walmart, Thyme & Table, and The Women's Blogger Network. As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

I know when most people think of their "happy place" they usually think of a beach with a cocktail in hand. Or a secluded cabin in the mountains. And while I could definitely go for either one of those places right about now, my favorite happy place happens to be my kitchen.

It is the one room in my house where I can create. And cook. And bake. And tinker with new recipe creations while also whipping up the tried & true recipes that my family loves and asks for time & time again. The rest of my house can be an absolute chaotic mess, but as long as my kitchen is clean, & tidy, and stocked with all the pretty things then I am able to find my inner calm and breathe.

One way that I am keeping my happy place decked out in trendy, yet functional utensils, gadgets, & cutting boards is with the Thyme & Table kitchen line from my local Walmart. Thyme & Table is the newest line of stylish kitchen products from Core Home. For those of you who have been following along with me for a while now, you all already know of my love for Core Home. Their products have been a staple in my kitchen for the past four years now. :)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Banana Bread

This family pleasing Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Banana Bread is chock full of hearty oats, gooey chocolate chips, & crunchy walnuts...

Here is something that you all might not know about me (or maybe you do!)- I hate to waste food. Like I absolutely loathe it. If I have to throw something out because it went bad, I cringe because I literally picture myself tossing a wad of dollar bills into the trash can.

We always take leftovers home from the restaurant because they make an excellent lunch or dinner the next day. And who doesn't like getting two meals for one?? Am I right? 

If strawberries or peaches are about to go bad, I slice them up, toss them into baggies, and keep them in the freezer to add to smoothies. But the fruit that always seems to be the bane of my existence when it comes to food waste is bananas. 

It doesn't matter how big or small the bunch is, we always seem to end up with at least 2 or 3 that are too overripe to peel & eat. Sometimes I peel them, wrap them in aluminum foil, and then freeze them because they also make the perfect addition to smoothies. 

But my favorite way to prevent those mushy bananas from going to waste is to bake them up into a loaf of tasty banana bread. :)

Lime in the Coconut Banana Bread

This Lime in the Coconut Banana Bread is the perfect combination of sweet & tart thanks to creamy coconut and a hint of fresh lime...

There is no flavor combination out there that screams summer is on its way to me quite like lime with coconut. The sweet & tart combo of lime and coconut makes me think of cabanas on a tropical beach, and sipping on frozen libations on the backyard deck, and of course that super catchy song by Harry Nilsson. And I know pineapple and coconut get most of the summer lovin' (Hello, pina coladas! Duh.), but I think the coconut/lime combination deserves a little time in the limelight too (Like what I just did there? ;) ). 

I know that the official start of summer is still over a month away, but who says that we have to wait until then to get into that summertime vibe? Not me! I am diving right in with this moist and flavorful banana bread recipe. The banana bread itself is packed with lots of sweet coconut flavor and just a hint of fresh lime. But what really makes this bread something else is the super simple tart lime glaze you drizzle right over top. Finish it all off with a little toasted coconut, and you have just created the perfect taste of summer in the middle of May... 

Healthy Carrot Cake Banana Bread

This moist Healthy Carrot Cake Banana Bread with it's vanilla yogurt glaze only tastes like a decadent treat...

I am going to let you all in on a little secret right from the get-go- this Healthy Carrot Cake Banana Bread doesn't taste healthy at all.  It actually tastes like a decadent treat. If you can imagine what it would taste like if moist banana bread and homemade carrot cake had a baby, then that is exactly what this banana bread tastes like. ;)

It is chock full of the good stuff- like shredded fresh carrots, ripe bananas, coconut oil, and nonfat vanilla yogurt. This bread is so moist that you would have no idea that there is whole wheat flour in it. 

I always like to sneak in a little extra of the whole grains whenever I am baking.  About 99% of the time, that little bit of whole wheat flour goes unnoticed by my picky eating guys. 

Traditional carrot cake is usually topped with a cream cheese frosting, but that can add up to extra unnecessary calories and fat grams pretty quickly. By making a quick glaze with tangy and sweet nonfat vanilla yogurt, you can sort of trick your taste buds into thinking you are enjoy a slice of homemade cake carrot with a decadent cream cheese icing... ;)