IMSA Cookbook: Peanut Butter and Banana Bread

When Elvis Presley felt a hankering for a snack, onstage and off, he called out for none other than the peanut butter and banana sandwich. Some accounts include bacon, but we made this recipe a little simpler to accommodate for Sodexo’s inconsistent bacon availability (and also as a nod to our hungry vegetarian readers)! Elvis isn’t the only one who likes this concoction. The former mayor of New York claimed that this would be his last meal!

This recipe is both easy to make and delicious to eat. This is actually one of the best foods you can make here; the peanut butter and whole grain toast add protein and keep you full, while the banana’s sweetness makes this absolutely delightful. This dish is surprisingly appetizing and works as a filling breakfast, part of a healthy lunch, or as a grab-and-run dinner.

Ingredients:

1 slice of Whole Grain Bread

2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter (This you’ll really have to eyeball to your preference. We like using about 1 and a half knife-fuls.)

1 Ripe Banana

Step 1: Put your slice of bread into the toaster, and while you wait, gather the rest of your materials. You’ll want to have the bowl of peanut butter and banana on hand, as well as a knife and plate.

Step 2: This step is pretty predictable, so hopefully you could guess this if you had to. Once your bread is at its perfect crispy brown, spread the perfect amount of peanut butter onto your freshly warmed bread.

Step 3: Cut the banana into medium-thick slices. Imagine a poker chip of banana. If you’re nifty with a knife, you’ll be able to cut the banana and put the slice on the toast at the same time. However, if you’re not as nifty this can get very messy very fast. We at the Acronym – after much debate – agreed on a 3×3 grid of banana slices for the best results.

Step 4: Add whatever other ingredients you may want to add. For a s’more-style sandwich, add a little whipped cream if its available. For the classic Elvis-inspired version, ask the sandwich line at lunch for some bacon and add it on top of the banana grid. We find that taking your banana and peanut butter complex to the salad bar and adding some greens or an experimental fruit is a good way to mix up the flavor. Be careful, though! Surely, you can already imagine some truly strange – and utterly unpleasant – combinations.

We decided to stick the most basic version: the classic three ingredient blend. Once you add your last ingredient – be it bacon, whipped cream, or banana – enjoy your lovingly crafted food! This treat is really simple but truly does perk you up.

And if you’re craving more, here are some other sandwich suggestions too!

Cheesy Garden Sandwich: Grilled Cheese, spinach, and tomatoes from the salad bar.

Egg Salad Sandwich: Bread, a diced boiled egg, and honey mustard.

If you’re interested in an in-depth look at these sandwiches or their variants, reach out to the Acronym and suggest them as recipes! You can suggest any recipe you can imagine at by emailing us at: the.IMSA.Acronym@gmail.com.