Ancient Grain Banana Nut Bread
Been making my Mom’s banana nut bread for more years than I wish to reveal! I just bet that you may have a family recipe for banana nut bread too. Why? Well, we all tend to buy more bananas than we can eat before they become too ripe. Maybe like me, you just throw those bananas in the freezer for a smoothie or wait until you have enough to make that family favorite. Most everyone I know loves this heirloom bread. By baking it and freezing, it can be pulled it out and serve it to a friend who just happens to drop by for coffee. Or drop it by to that shut-in friend who needs a bit of cheering up. Whatever the reason it is a comfort to taste this lovely bread!
ONWARD:
So, trying to cut back on foods that have too much sugar (glycemic index which determines how quickly foods break down into sugar in your bloodstream). The ancient grain flour Spelt is listed moderately on the GI scale at 54, Kamut at 45, and Einkorn at 45 whereas white all-purpose flour is high at 85. Some say that white flour (high) is almost like eating white sugar however white sugar has a GI of 65 (moderately high). And many say that any form of sugar is sugar. That may be true but honey at a moderate-high GI of 58 and maple syrup at 54 GI is a bit less than white sugar. Not only that but for every cup of white sugar, only three-quarters of a cup of honey or maple syrup is necessary to achieve the same sweetness. I prefer maple syrup in this recipe which gives it a rich flavor. I don’t miss the white flour and sugar at all!
Scroll to the bottom for a printable recipe.
Even though honey is shown here, Costco maple syrup is preferable in this recipe.
12 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 ¼ cup Spelt, Kamut, or Einkorn ancient grain flour
1 ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup maple syrup or honey
2 large eggs
⅓ cup avocado oil
1 ¼ cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (toasted or not)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a nine by five-inch loaf pan with baking spray.
Whip the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. In a mixer with a whip attachment beat the eggs and maple syrup or honey on high speed until lightly colored, about five minutes. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients blending thoroughly. Fold in the nuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until springy in the center to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about sixty or more minutes.
Cool the bread in the pan for ten minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the bread. Turn out onto the cooling rack.
Ancient Grain Banana Nut Bread
ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cup Spelt, Kamut, or Einkorn ancient grain flour
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 1 ¼ cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 medium)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (toasted or not)
instructions:
How to cook Ancient Grain Banana Nut Bread
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a nine by five-inch loaf pan with baking spray.
- Whip the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. In a mixer with a whip attachment beat the eggs and maple syrup or honey on high speed until lightly colored, about five minutes. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients blending thoroughly. Fold in the nuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until springy in the center to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about sixty or more minutes.
- Cool the bread in the pan for ten minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the bread. Turn out onto the cooling rack.
Calories
204.44Fat (grams)
11.29Sat. Fat (grams)
1.38Carbs (grams)
24.45Fiber (grams)
1.79Net carbs
22.66Sugar (grams)
14.86Protein (grams)
3.38Sodium (milligrams)
221.23Cholesterol (grams)
31.00