Going Bananas!

2020

We are officially on day #12 of our COVID-19 pandemic sheltering with five family members, and I am finding that I need some little luxuries to look forward to. We are not actually going bananas just yet, but the prospect of indefinite internment is triggering anxiety in all of us. One way I calm myself is by turning on my oven and whipping up a batch of this super healthy banana bread from Oh She Glows. This takes ten minutes to prepare and the aroma of the baking bread soothes me and makes our home smell wonderful.

We can all enjoy indulging in this yummy plant-based treat without sliding down the pandemic nutrition hole. Many folks are worried about gaining ‘the Covid-19’ but with some daily walking and smart choices, my prayer is that we all come out of this thing stronger physically and emotionally. It is so easy to stress eat during times like these, so having a few treat recipes on hand that are easy on the waistline is a lifeline.

A great master recipe like Angela Liddon’s (see below) can withstand tweaks and substitutions, and I was liberal in my version. I added some flaked coconut and walnuts to the batter. I doubled the recipe, deleted the sugar, and substituted maple and almond flavorings for the vanilla. I love cardamom and pumpkin spice together—they add a nice complexity to the bread. Any spice combination will work beautifully. This recipe is very forgiving. I used a combination of spelt flour and gluten flour to make this a GF bread, but my guess is that you can use any combination of flours you like, so experiment away. I also used avocado oil instead of the coconut oil because it’s faster. The yummy looking topping you see on my batches are thanks to a bit of Coconut Cluster magic from Inno foods. Stay safe, be well, and enjoy one of life’s little luxuries!

Teta’s Banana Bread (V)

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a loaf pan/and or muffin cups as desired.

• In a large mixing bowl thoroughly mash together 4-5 really ripe bananas.

• Add 4-T ground flax seed (or chia/hemp seeds); 2/3 cup of a plant-based milk; 2/3 cup melted oil (coconut or avocado oil); 4-T maple syrup; 2-t almond and maple flavoring, each, 1-c coconut flakes; 2-t spice mix (like cardamom and pumpkin) and mix well.

• Add 1-c rolled oats; 2-t baking soda; 1-t baking powder; 1-t salt; 1-c chopped walnuts; 3 cups of a flour combination. Mix until just combined. Batter should glistening, thick and still moist looking.

• Portion batter into desired pans or muffin cups. Top with a bit of Coconut Cluster or chocolate chips if you like. Baking times will vary, but a muffin cup takes @20 minutes and a loaf pan @45-55 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.

This is the original recipe from Angela Liddon at Oh She Glows. If you have not visited her site, take a virtual trip to excellent plant-based living.

One Bowl Vegan Banana Bread

1 (9x5-inch) loaf

Prep time 10 Minutes Cook time 50 Minutes

For the wet ingredients:1 1/3 cups (320 g) mashed very ripe banana (about 4 medium or 3 large)2 tablespoons (15 g) ground flaxseed1/3 cup (80 mL) plant-based milk (I like almond milk)1/3 cup (80 mL) coconut oil, melted*2 tablespoons (30 mL) pure maple syrup**2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extractFor the dry ingredients:1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (60 g) coconut sugar***1/2 cup (50 g) rolled oats1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1 1/2 cups (210 g) light/white spelt flour or whole-grain spelt flour****Sliced banana, chopped walnuts, and/or chocolate chips, for topping (optional)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil and set aside.In a large bowl, mash the banana until almost smooth, and make sure you have 1 1/3 cups.Stir the wet ingredients (ground flax, milk, melted oil, maple syrup, and vanilla) into the banana until combined. Stir the dry ingredients (sugar, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour) into the wet mixture, one by one, in the order listed. Spoon the dough into the loaf pan and spread out evenly. Add your desired toppings and gently press them into the dough to adhere. Bake the loaf, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes (I bake for 47 to 48 minutes, but your time may vary), until lightly golden and firm on top. The top of the loaf should slowly spring back when touched. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Then, slide a knife around the loaf to loosen it and gently remove it from the pan, placing it directly onto the cooling rack until completely cooled (or to hasten the cooling process, transfer to the fridge for 45 minutes).

I’d love to hear from you—feel free to send your comments to me!