Chocolate Covered Strawberry Banana Bread

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OK OK.... I know what you're thinking!!! Whats up with all these #cheattreats lately, I thought we were doing the skinny thang?! I'll have you know that I only ate one slice of this beautiful bread! It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done! ....besides last weeks one cookie from the Bailey's White Chocolate Chip Cookies. Now, that was tough. St. Patrick's Day and only one indulgence?! Sigh... Its been a tough yet rewarding little mission! I feel great, the gym has me feeling strong and energized and like I can do anything. If you read my last post about my thoroughly thrilling journey with anxiety [could I be any more sarcastic?], you know what I have been working on besides the "getting fit plan". The funny thing is, both endeavors are working together to bring me to a very blissful state! Being at the gym or even taking a run outside is SO freeing, makes me feel SO good about myself, makes me smile, makes me laugh.... I really get the obsession of some people to be at the gym all day long. I wouldn't go that far... an hour a day is all the medicine I need :)

It also just so happens that today is Tinys Tip Tuesday! I started this a few weeks ago and although it sounds like I will be giving you some cooking tips and tricks, its more of a motivational tip. I wanna share with you a journey not only with my love affair with good food, but also the journey I take with myself. Because I want you think about who the number 1 person in your life is, the one person you live and breath for, the one person you would do just about anything for. It should be the same answer for all of us. MYSELF! You are the most important person in your life. I know to some that may sound a little selfish, but think about this.... if you don't take care of yourself, if you are not happy within yourself, if you don't love yourself, how are you supposed to care for others??? Your child or your spouse or your parents, they love you so much, that if you don't love yourself, you bring them down. You make them sad. You cannot live your life simply trying to make everyone else happy and ignoring yourself. You come first. Remember that! A funny little way I think of it is, for example, in an airplane, they tell you to put the oxygen mask on yourself first and THEN on your children. Some people think,"OMG that is awful! Your children should come first!" Well, the reason behind that is, how are you supposed to help your child survive if you're passed out?! Think about it :) For now lets bread. 

So, like I said, I only had one slice of this guy. It was EXCELLENT... but not on the skinny plan. I basically just wanted to make this for the boyfriend and the co-workers and we have been having some house-guests as well. I love banana breads, nothing is more friendly than a banana bread, don't you think? They scream "welcome, I love you, stay a while, here take this warm blankey and relax". 

oh hai! Here I am! Enjoying my slice... savoring every tiny little piece of it... trying to make it last. 

I absolutely loved the strawberries in this version too, it gave it that tiny splash of bitterness that complimented all the sweet so well! Have you heard of the Strawberry Festival going on in Plant City?! I must go. And make hundreds of these breads. Farmer's Market stand just came to mind.... hmmmm.

Servings: 10ish slices
Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 3 extra ripe bananas (I love baking the bananas, peels intact, for about 45 minutes. This caramelizes the bananas and brings out their amazing sweet flavor)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup Florida Crystals organic sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 and 1/4 cups sifted self-rising flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 cup small chopped strawberries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
• Grease your loaf pan very well!
• Mash up the bananas and set aside. 
• In a new bowl add the softened butter. Add the sugar and cream together. 
•  Add eggs one at a time. Then banana and strawberries. 
• Add flour, cinnamon, chopped up walnuts and chocolate chips and fold it all in. Don’t over mix!! You just want the flour to be moistened completely. The less you mix the fluffier and more delicious your bread will be. If you over mix, it will turn out tough and ugh!
• Pour into the greased loaf pan. I like to top the mix with some more chopped nuts, chocolate chips, strawberries and a light sprinkling of sugar!
• In the oven it goes for 1 hour! All ovens are different... make sure to test your bread with a toothpick or a wooden kabob stick, If it comes out clean, its ready :)
  

Talk again soon!
xoxo, 
Tiny Taster

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