So I’m not a regular or an expert baker… a little rusty actually. Lately, my son has been asking me to bake for him. So I went to work and started experimenting on this particular recipe and thanks to him, to my husband and to my co-workers who have all participated in my little “test kitchen” exercises, I can now share our new and improved version of Banana Bread.
When my family developed food allergies, lactose intolerance and as we became more conscious of the food we eat, I have slowed down in making baked goodies. One day when I have more time in my hands, I’d like to test more recipes using clean and wholesome ingredients…hopefully improve old time favourites and perhaps pick up the pace and bake some more - for the occasional treat or for entertaining like last weekend when I hosted a jewelry party for friends.
When I first attempted to work on this, I wasn’t really sure about the idea of an egg-less recipe without substituting it with chia or flax meal but while reading the book, The New Enlightened Eating by Caroline Dupont, I found her egg-less Banana Bread recipe. It has inspired me to try making my own version using my old recipe and adapting a bit of hers and so here we are today. Don’t worry, it will all come together like a real banana bread even without the eggs!
Banana Bread
Ingredients:
5 ripe organic bananas, peeled and cut into halves (see notes)
2 1/4 c. stone ground spelt flour (see notes)
1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. organic vanilla powder or alcohol-free vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/3 c. raw sunflower seeds
1/3 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1/3 c. raw walnuts, broken into small pieces
1/2 c. unsweetened cacao nibs
1/2 c. almond milk or any nut milk
1/4 c. melted coconut oil or cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
2 pitted organic dates, cut into small pieces (optional, see notes)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. If using dates, soak them in the almond milk for 15-20 mins. to soften then place them either in a food processor or a high speed blender and process until smooth.
3. Add the bananas and oil into the date/almond milk mixture and pulse a few times until well incorporated.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla powder and salt and stir a few times. Add the nuts, seeds and cacao nibs.
5. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine making sure not to over mix.
6. Lightly oil an 8 1/2” x 4 1/2 ” loaf pan then pour the mixture into it.
7. Bake for 45 mins. or until a fork or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cooking time varies depending on your oven. Try checking within 30 mins. but mine cooked in 45 mins. Enjoy!
Notes:
1. If you have overripe bananas, you don’t really need the dates or any sweetener.
2. If dates are not available and you have to use a sweetener, it can be substituted with 1/4 c. coconut nectar or coconut sugar or maple syrup
3. You can use gluten-free flour. I’d love to experiment with a mix of buckwheat flour and almond flour very soon to see how that would work out.
4. You can use your own choice of nuts. I like this mix so far.