Cardamom Banana Bread with Pistachios

This recipe uses fragrant cardamom as an exotic stand-in for vanilla. Flecks of pistachio add crunch.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, sour cream, and cardamom; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in pistachios. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool bread completely on wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf, 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).

Calories: 185 (27% from fat); Fat 5.5g (sat 2.6g, mono 1.7g, poly 0.6g); Protein 3.4g; Carb 31.3g; Fiber 1.3g; Chol 37mg; Iron 1.2mg; Sodium 175mg; Calc 25mg

"Banana Appeal"
Article by Jean Patterson
Copyright 2003 by Cooking Light
Originally published in Cooking Light, September 2003