Banana and Chocolate Loaf - The Big Fair Bake

Wherever possible I try to buy and use Fairtrade, so when I saw the Big Fair Bake over on Tots100 I decided to blog one of my favourite recipes.

Fairtrade is about 'better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world' and you can help with this by purchasing Fairtrade products wherever possible. 

From sugar to bananas it is simple and doesn't usually cost you any more, but could mean the world to someone else!

This recipe is super tasty and the perfect way to use up those left over, very ripe bananas:

Ingredients:

125g Butter or Margarine
175g Soft Brown Sugar
2 eggs
300g Plain Flour
1 tsp Bicarb Soda
150mls Whole Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Ripe Fairtrade Bananas

100g Fairtrade Chocolate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 25 x 11cm loaf tin.

2. Cream the sugar and butter together with a handheld electric mixer.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.

 
4. Sift in half the flour and all of the bicarb, stir with the metal spoon. Add in the milk and the rest of the flour and mix well.

5. Fold in the mashed bananas, vanilla extract and the chocolate then pour into the loaf tin, it looks like a lot and fills the tin but will be ok.

6. Usually takes about 1 hour 15mins to 1 hour 30 minutes, but keep checking every 5 minutes after about 1 hour 15 mins.

7. Once cooked take the tin out of the oven and leave to rest for about 20 minutes, when slightly cooled remove from the tin and leave to cool completely. Alternatively you can cut up and serve warm with some butter or Nutella and a nice cup of tea.

Perfect for guests, I will be taking this one to my gran and grandad tomorrow.

You can see the other entries via twitter using hash tag #bakeitfair and more on the Big Fair Bake website.

Poorly Mummy!

So I have been neglecting my poor blog for the last few days, but it isn't my fault I am genuinely quite poorly :(

I have something called Pleurisy, no it isn't that I can't describe more than one thing but instead a nasty inflammation of the lining of the lungs and chest (the pleura)!

It is agony, I can't breath, sneeze or cough without yelping out in pain!

So having not done a Favourite Recipe Friday for a few weeks I thought instead I would just link to some of my current favourite recipes...

We bought some rather yummy braising stake from a local butchers and I have been either doing this spicy plum curry or a gorgeous stew from Jamie Oliver.

I am also loving this gorgeous sounding Banana Loaf from Recipes of a Normal Mum, I have some rather ripe bananas I am going to give it a try with later.

With some strong antibiotics I am hoping my poor pleura will be better soon ;)