On my days off I love to bake and play around in the kitchen. But what I love even more is deconstructing recipes, finding areas where there is room for improvement (nutritionally speaking) and recreating a healthier, more complete version. See my entry on Substitutions for great tips on how to make your cooking and baking a little more nutritionally sound.
This week I tried baking this same Banana Bread twice, the first attempt was with the lovely Irina Andreea and the second Miss Hayleigh Clark. Made a few tweaks to the recipe and I have to say, we really nailed it the second time! The perfect combination of both flavour and nutrition!
Healthy Banana Bread
Ingredients:
Dry
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup oats
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup cacao nibs
½ cup wheat bran
½ cup ground flaxseeds
Wet
2 Large over ripe bananas
½ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup raw organic agave
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
+
1 ripe banana for slices on the top
1 handful of sliced almonds for the top
Topping:
-Banana slices.
-Crushed or chopped nuts of your choice! Walnuts, pecans or almonds are awesome choices.
Directions:
1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
3-In a separate bowl, mush the bananas with the back of a fork and begin mixing in all the wet ingredients.
4- Slowly begin mixing the two together.
5- Place in a lightly greased loaf baking tin. For a little added banana burst, put half in the dish and then make a banana layer in the middle. Then dress the top with whatever your heart desires!
6- Place in the oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7-Serve with a scoop of low fat Greek yogurt, apple butter and berries. Enjoy! Soooo delicious!!
