IN THE POT | BANANA BREAD
I’m not a fan of banana (can’t stand the texture or the smell) but it turns out that bananas are a fabulous snack option for little people so we now have a steady supply in the house. With all the bananas comes a dilemma – what to do with the dodgy ones. You know the ones, too ripe, turning brown, not that visually appealing but still ok to eat.
I was flicking through the CSIRO recipe book and came across this recipe for Breakfast Banana Bread and decided to give it a go.
The recipe makes a big loaf, that’s dense and moist. It smells really great fresh out of the oven. I gave the little man some straight out of the oven (after cooling of course) and he loved it.
I managed to slice and freeze it and we’ve been having it as a healthy snack option while we’re out and about – I’ve even put it in HUBBY’s lunch. I think it’s fair to say it’s been a bit of a hit.
Banana Bread
Cooking Oil Spray
1¼ cups (200g) wholemeal self-raising flour
¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup powdered sweetener (I used sugar)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (125ml) reduced-fat buttermilk or reduced-fat milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
3 ripe bananas, mashed (you’ll need 1 1/2 cups (360g) mashed banana)
4 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spray a 21cm x 9cm loaf tin with cooking oil and line with baking paper.
2. Combine the flours, sweetener, nutmeg and baking powder in a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk or milk, egg and vanilla together. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the milk mixture. Stir in the mashed banana and chopped nuts.
3. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 55-60 minutes until lightly golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too much, cover with foil for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
4. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.
5. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Note: Freeze left over slices, individually wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 weeks.
Source: The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet Recipes on a Budget by Dr Manny Noakes
This looks delicious. I am like you, not that fond of bananas, but I can manage to make banana and chocolate loaf (as long as someone else mashes the bananas up and I hold my nose because of the smell!!) so I will give this a go.
A couple of people have mentioned chocolate banana bread… I’m starting to wonder if this might be my way through the banana revulsion. Love some chocolate!
As an aside, you can freeze whole bananas to use in your cooking. Leave them in their skins
Oh good to know! I’ve been freezing them without the skin but they don’t defrost very well… maybe this is why!
That looks awesome … I am one of the ones that just love love love bananas … even when they don’t look so appealing. That is when I like them the best. With all the reading I have done, apparently they are best or you when they have brown spots on them …. that is when they are perfect to eat. Love your Banana bread, it looks sooooo good. Might just have to give it a go.
I didn’t know that about the brown spots… do you mean on the skin or on the actual banana itself?