I love banana’s, but I only like to eat them with the skin yellow; no blemishes.  With that said, the best banana bread is made from the most spotted peels. If I’m not able to get to making banana bread right away, I will remove the peel and freeze them, or refrigerate them for a few days.  For years, I have used this recipe as thank you’s for kind gestures or help with kids. It’s best alongside a chilled glass of almond milk or with a cup of hot tea.  When my kids aren’t looking, I’ll sneak in shaved coconut for some extra flavor.

 

BANANA LOAF

Yield: 12 medium muffins or 1 loaf pan

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Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup barley flour, sifted or unbleached all purpose

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cups organic maple syrup (none of that fake stuff)

1/3 cup safflower oil

1 Tbsp. flax seeds

1 cup of mashed ripened bananas

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup pecans

*1/8 cup coconut flakes

** If you want to make this gluten free, the recipe is sound.  Just alter the flour with Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose GF flour.  It turns out great.

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. If you’re making muffins, you don’t need to do this.

3. Two bowls: One for wet mix. One for dry.  In the wet mix: combine maple syrup, oil, vanilla, flax seeds, and almond milk.  Whisk wet mix  until emulsified.  Add banana and mash it up with a potato masher or fork.  Either works fine.  In the dry mix: combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk dry mix.

4. Make a well in the dry mix and place the wet into the well.  Then fold in the dry to the wet.  When it is almost combined throughly, fold in the nuts, and chocolate chips. Coconut is optional.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown; if you have a loaf. If you are making muffins, then 20 minutes.  To check to make sure the middle is done baking, place a toothpick into the center and make sure not mix comes onto it when pulling it from the warm loaf.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.