In the kitchen with Kelley: Banana nut bread

I love the way my house smells when I bake banana nut bread. It’s been one of my favorites since I was a child when my grandmother would make it. For years I followed her recipe to the “T,” but now I have made it my own. How?

I simply cut down on the amount of sugar and white flour and added a few choice ingredients that make it healthier for my family, but just as good as I remember.

My grandmother’s recipe called for about 2 cups of sugar. I dropped my recipe to less than half of that and added apple sauce to help sweeten and provide a bit of dietary fiber. To boost that fiber, I also added flax seed, which is also a great source of heart- and brain-healthy omega-3s.

But my favorite ingredient is walnuts. I used to make it nut-free because nuts can be expensive. But knowing how chockfull of healthy fats walnuts are, I consider it a ‘good health’ investment. So bring on the walnuts!