Healthy Banana Bread

The healthiest Banana bread ever! And perhaps the tastiest :) 

It's vegan, whole food, plant based, no oil, vegan version of banana bread. Not a vegan? Is it enough not to try this guilt-free recipe? I don't think so. Easy to make (one-bowl recipe!), delicious, this banana bread is a great snack, breakfast or dessert option for anybody. 

Notes

- I've chosen to mega-flavor my banana bread with lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla. You can choose any combination of those or maybe something completely other flavor such as almond essence (one of my favorite flavorings), or something exotic such as pandan drops (oriental version of flavor).

- I like to use my mini-loaf silicon baking pans for this. Try not to use large pans as it should be baked through well to balance out oat moisture- keeping qualities. Silicon baking muffin cups are perfect as well as mini-loaf pans.

- I use store bought oat flour for this recipe, but, if you don't have it, make your own by blending regular oats in a food processor.

- If using other than medjool dates, just make sure you are taking enough quantity - we like our bread somewhat sweet, right ;) Also make sure you remove woody cap on a top of date, sometimes dates are sold with those.

- Ground flax seeds are required for this recipe. Soaked in a little water, they usually play role of eggs as a binder. It's besides all health-beneficial qualities of flax seeds. Sure you can use, two eggs instead, but flax seeds are so much healthier IMHO.

Healthy Banana Bread

For about 3 mini-loaf pans:

• 2 very ripe bananas
• 8 large medjool dates, pitted, tiny seed cap removed, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp of ground flax seeds + 6 tbsp water (let it stand for about 10 minutes)
• zest of one lemon
• 1-2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups oat flour
• 1/3 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 cups roughly chopped walnuts (it's a lot but I like it)

- Preheat an oven to 350F.

- In a large bowl, with a fork, mash bananas, add soaked ground flax seeds, lemon zest, chopped dates, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix well.

- Add remaining ingredients, mix. You'll get very thing batter. Distribute it evenly between three mini-loaf pans.

- Bake in a preheated to 350F oven for 40 minutes until golden-brown and baked through completely.

- Remove from an oven, let it cool down for about 30 minutes, then remove from forms.

- Enjoy!



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IN PICTURES

 All action going in one big bowl on a left. You will need just two supplemental bowls, one for flour,  one for flax seeds. Ground flax seeds, soaked in water are great binding ingredient (at bottom right)

 When baking I always pre-mix soda or baking powder into flour.

Mixing my wet ingredients.

Adding dry ingredients.

 Batter/dough is ready, it's very thick.

 Ready to go into an oven.

 Done!

 Pieces of walnuts, chunks of dates, lemon zest - awesome texture, delicious and flavorful!

 Yeah.. gluten-free if you care :)

Healthy Banana Bread