Spiced Banana Bread + Golden French Toast with Roasted Blueberries
May 3, 2016
There’s something about a really good piece of banana bread that is so very, very right; it just feels so homely on a chilly day. Now that the weather is about to turn cooler it feels like the right time to share my favourite banana bread recipe, perfect for morning or afternoon tea, or to tuck into the lunchbox as a little extra sustaining fuel for the little (or big) ones.
It makes a great snack for the whole week, and also an excellent breakfast, especially if you soak a couple of slices in an egg beaten with turmeric and turn it into golden french toast! It keeps big and little hungry tummies full and nourished with lovely protein and antioxidant goodness. Ghee + turmeric are best friends, so if you have some ghee on hand why not harness this food combining magic by frying your french toast in it? It will unlock the full healing potential of the turmeric, plus it tastes really good! If you don’t have ghee then you can also use olive oil or butter. I love ancient food wisdom and figure you may as well follow it if you can. Magical food powers are just so cool 😉
Healthy banana bread. Nutrient packed, full of protein and naturally gluten free. Afternoon tea, morning tea and breakfast sorted.
Spiced Banana Bread
serves 8-10
inspired by Buckwheat Banana Bread by Gather & Feast
You will need: a medium bowl and a long loaf tin (or regular loaf tin and a muffin tray for any left over batter)
4 ripe bananas, mashed
4 eggs
1/3 cup (75ml) maple syrup
1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
1 + 1/2 cups (165g) almond meal
1/2 cup (75g) buckwheat flour
1/4 cup (60ml) xylitol
1 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract
1-2 tablespoons of chai spice finely ground (I used Mamashanti Very Pleasing Organic Chai by the lovely Nina) or ground cinnamon (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (40g) desiccated coconut
Preheat your oven to 170° C/ 325 °F/ Gas Mark 3. Grease and line a long loaf tin with baking paper – my tin is from Ikea and the cavity is 30cm x 11cm, which makes it slightly longer than the average loaf tin – if you only have a regular sized loaf tin then pop a couple of muffin cases into a tray for any extra batter.
In a medium sized bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup and olive oil until well combined. Add in the almond meal, buckwheat flour, xylitol, vanilla, spices, baking powder and pinch of salt and stir until well combined. Stir through the desiccated coconut.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake in your moderate oven for around 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack.
Golden Banana Bread French Toast with Roasted Blueberries
serves 1-2
You will need: leftover banana bread, a small baking dish and a frying pan
For the roasted blueberries :
makes around 1 + 1/2 cups
Note: you can roast the blueberries in the final stages of cooking the banana bread and keep them in the fridge until you make your french toast.
300g frozen blueberries
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or xylitol (optional)
Preheat your oven to 170° C/ 325 °F/ Gas Mark 3. Place the frozen blueberries into a small roasting dish, as well as any sweetener if using, and roast for around 15 minutes, until shiny and juicy.
The blueberries keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For the golden french toast:
Two slices of banana bread
1 egg lightly beaten
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
ghee or olive oil, for pan frying
Heat up your frying pan on a medium heat. In a wide bowl beat together the egg and turmeric. Dip each slice of banana bread into the egg mixture, turning once and allowing the bread to soak up the egg. Fry both slices gently in the frying pan, turning after 4-5 minutes or when golden, and allowing to cook for a further 3-4 minutes on the second side.
Serve warm with yoghurt, roasted blueberries and perhaps a drizzle of maple syrup or a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Spiced Banana Bread + Golden French Toast with Roasted Blueberries
Print RecipeIngredients
- SPICED BANANA BREAD
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 4 eggs
- 1/3 cup (75ml) maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
- 1 + 1/2 cups (165g) almond meal
- 1/2 cup (75g) buckwheat flour
- 1/4 cup (60ml) xylitol
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract
- 1-2 tablespoons of chai spice finely ground or ground cinnamon (depending on how spicy you like it)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (40g) desiccated coconut
- ROASTED BLUEBERRIES
- 300g frozen blueberries
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or xylitol (optional)
- GOLDEN FRENCH TOAST
- Two slices of banana bread
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ghee or olive oil, for pan frying
Instructions
SPICED BANANA BREAD : Preheat your oven to 170° C/ 325 °F/ Gas Mark 3. Grease and line a long loaf tin with baking paper - my tin is from Ikea and the cavity is 30cm x 11cm, which makes it slightly longer than the average loaf tin - if you only have a regular sized loaf tin then pop a couple of muffin cases into a tray for any extra batter.
In a medium sized bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup and olive oil until well combined. Add in the almond meal, buckwheat flour, xylitol, vanilla, spices, baking powder and pinch of salt and stir until well combined. Stir through the desiccated coconut.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake in your moderate oven for around 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack.
ROASTED BLUEBERRIES : Preheat your oven to 170° C/ 325 °F/ Gas Mark 3 (or simply roast alongside your banana bread). Place the frozen blueberries into a small roasting dish, as well as any sweetener if using, and roast for around 15 minutes, until shiny and juicy.
GOLDEN FRENCH TOAST : Heat up your frying pan on a medium heat. In a wide bowl beat together the egg and turmeric. Dip each slice of banana bread into the egg mixture, turning once and allowing the bread to soak up the egg. Fry both slices gently in the frying pan, turning after 4-5 minutes or when golden, and allowing to cook for a further 3-4 minutes on the second side.
Notes
• gluten free • grain free • refined sugar free •
You will need: a medium bowl and a long loaf tin (or regular loaf tin and a muffin tray lined
with a few cases for any bonus batter)
The blueberries will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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