Banana Walnut Bread
Finally, a banana bread recipe that's not just cake! This healthy low sugar recipe makes the perfect breakfast, and includes a tried and tested gluten free option too.
Servings 12
Calories 273kcal
Ingredients
Dry
- 3 c wholemeal flour (see blend ideas below)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Wet
- 5 over ripe bananas ~4c
- 1/2 c plant-based milk
- 1/3 c olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 c dates
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Fold in
- 1 c walnuts
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 170°C (340°F) on fan bake and line or lightly grease a loaf tin.
- Sift all dry ingredients into a large bowl.
- Blend wet ingredients in a blender until smooth, then pour into the dry. Lift and fold the mixture until almost combined, then add your walnuts and stir through - you want a few flour flecks to remain. Pour the mixture into your loaf tin and spread gently to the corners.
- Bake at the bottom of your oven for 45-55 minutes until a skewer comes out dry in the middle - keep the loaf covered for the first half hour so it doesn't become too brown, then uncover the top for the last 15 minutes.
- Remove, slice and serve warm, or let cool on a rack.
Notes
- Make it gluten free: I used the following gluten free flour blends both with success: 1c buckwheat flour, 1c brown rice flour and 1c tapioca flour. OR 1 ½ c buckwheat flour, 1 ½ c brown rice flour, 2 tsp guar gum.
- Make it nut free: Use pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or hemp seeds instead of walnuts.
- I often also replace one or all of these flours with oats (not GF, but delicious) - you can make oat flour in your food processor by grinding up whole oats until fine.
- Sifting is important! It gives air to your mixture and will help your banana bread to rise.
- The riper your bananas the better as they add a natural sweetness - brown and bruised all over is what you're going for (the ones on special no-one else wants!).
- Be sure not to over mix your wet and dry, only mix until there are still a few flour flecks left, and use a lift and fold technique to keep air bubbles in the mix.
- You can either line a regular tin, or use a silicon loaf tin - just pick a good quality BPA free brand.
- Baking at the bottom of the oven and covering the tin means your loaf top won’t become too brown - this will depend on your oven, so start with a low placement and test with a skewer at 45 minutes to see how things are going, you can always bake for a further 10 minutes if needed.
- Thanks to these particular gluten free flour blends I’ve used here, this loaf can be sliced and enjoyed straight out of the oven while still warm, it won’t crumble at all - unlike many gluten free baked goods.
- Serve with my homemade coconut butter or nut butter, raspberry chia jam, sliced banana and cinnamon, or any other nut butter.
Nutrition
Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg