Packed with delicious flavour, this nutritious banana bread is a revelation! It’s amazingly flavourful and satiating. Make a loaf, slice it thinly, and freeze for breakfasts and snacks on the go – simply defrost or toast and spread, no, slather with your favourite nut butter. If you decide not to freeze it, store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe and styling by Claire Ferrandi
Photograph by Dylan Swart
No-grain banana bread
Ingredients
- 50g pitted dates
- 80ml (1/3 cup) canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 300g mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas) + 1 extra banana, cut in half lengthways, to top
- 60ml (4 tbsp) milk of your choice (we used coconut milk)
- 5ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
- pinch salt
- 5ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon + extra, to sprinkle
- 100g ground almonds
- 30ml (2 tbsp) psyllium powder
- 50g coconut flour
- 60ml (4 tbsp) warm water
- 30ml (2 tbsp) maple syrup/honey (optional)
- 75g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
- nut butter, to serve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160˚C. Grease and line the base and sides of a standard loaf tin of 1L capacity (usually 21,6cm x 11,4cm x 6,35cm).
Place the pitted dates in a small bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Soak, 10 minutes, then discard the water and set the softened dates aside until needed.
In a blender, place the softened dates, oil, eggs, mashed bananas, milk, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, ground almonds, psyllium powder, coconut flour, the warm water and maple syrup or honey, if desired. Don’t add the chopped pecan nuts just yet. Blitz until smooth and well combined, and stir in the chopped pecan nuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, top with the halved banana and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake in the preheated oven, 50 – 60 minutes.
Allow to cool, about 30 minutes, before removing the bread from the loaf tin and slicing to serve. Serve with your choice of nut butter.
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
