Homemade, Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread
Fall temperatures have finally arrived in Texas. When the temperatures drop there is something so magical about a warm oven and sweet smells filling the kitchen with the anticipation of a treat to come. In response to the cooler temperatures I wanted to make a sweet treat with my children in the kitchen, and I thought banana nut bread would do the trick.
I love baking banana nut bread (especially around the holidays), because it is a great snack for last minute guests or as a packaged gift for neighbors, friends and family. This particular recipe from Cookie and Kate is great because it includes non-processed ingredients. The whole wheat adds a heartiness, while the maple syrup adds the sweetness.
This bread is so easy to make that my children (my one and three-year-old are always so eager to help) practically made it on their own as you can see below. However, patience is definitely required if you choose to be the sous chef to your children.
I also love this version because you don't need any special equipment (power tools) to make it. Just a whisk, bowl, spoon, measuring cup and measuring spoon.
I hope you enjoy this bread on a cool evening after dinner or as a hearty, sweet breakfast treat on a chilly morning.
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To make your own healthy, banana nut bread you will need:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a bread loaf pan and set aside.
Mash the two bananas with a fork until you reach the consistency you desire. The larger the pieces, the more you will taste the banana.
*This is a great job for your little one as you prep the dry and wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, bring the maple syrup (or honey) and oil together with a whisk.
Next add the two eggs, and beat well with the whisk.
Then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. Next add the baking soda, pure vanilla extract, salt and ground cinnamon. Mix well with the whisk.
Switch to a large spoon and fold the whole wheat flour into the mixture. As the original recipe mentions, some lumps are okay.
Roughly chop up your add-ins. I like chunks of pecans in my banana bread so that I can taste them.
Gently fold in your add-ins into the mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the greased loaf pan. It is always fun to top the bread with the add-in. I do this for decorative purposes, and to give people an idea (if they have an allergy, or if they are just curious) of what is in the bread.
Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 55 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes and enjoy!
