Banana Bread

My intense feelings of love and excitement for this banana bread are absurd.

Now, I inhaled enjoyed many a banana bread when I was young, but as an adult I have avoided it due to it’s lackluster performance on the nutritional front. Yet, this recipe is a game changer and you would have no idea that it was moderately healthy. In fact, no one in my family even believed me when I told them it was. We all just devoured it much too quickly. It’s incredibly moist (when it comes to banana bread, moistness is key) and it’s lightly sweet and spiced with just enough cinnamon and nutmeg to warm it up without overshadowing the banana flavor.

Let’s keeping talk about this bread for a quick second…

While a plain slice is utterly delicious, I highly recommend getting a little creative with this one. If you wouldn’t dream of making a nut-free banana bread, toss some chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter or you could also add raisins, chopped dried fruit or slices of bananas. Then try toasting it and slathering it with your favorite jam or a tablespoon of nut butter. A drizzle of honey or maple syrup with a sprinkling of coarse salt and cinnamon is delightful as well. I honestly wonder if I’ll ever be able to eat the regular version again. I’m completely aware of how melodramatic that sounds, but you will probably feel the same way when you try it.

 Amazing flavor in every delicious bite.

Now you might be surprised by the addition of apple-cider vinegar. I admit, I was too. The apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda to produce carbon dioxide, which gives the bread a little lift when baking. The apple cider vinegar, in this case, is masked by all of the other flavors, so you don’t have to worry about your bread tasting like vinegar.

Please make this today! It’s amazing. 

Banana Bread recipe

3 large very ripe, brown bananas
1 ½ cups raw almond butter
3 large organic eggs
1 T vanilla extract
2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp Himalayan pink salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard loaf pan with coconut oil and set aside. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until they become a liquid paste. To the bananas, add the almond butter, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well with a spoon, whisk, or hand mixer until well combined. Add the baking soda to the bowl and pour the vinegar directly on top of the baking soda. When you see it fizz up, fold the soda and vinegar gently into the batter to lighten it up. This step is important because it adds fluffiness. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and topped with additional chopped nuts (if using). Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, depending on your oven. When toothpick comes out clean, you’re good to go.

recipe inspired and adapted from www.blawnde.com