Banana Bread

I haven't baked anything for ages and I have had some lovely stone ground biodynamic spelt flour that I have been wanting to turn into something delicious. I adapted this recipe from a few others I had found and I was a little bit concerned about whether it would work (this is always a concern when using superior quality aka expensive ingredients! )... baking can be so temperamental! However this was a success and I think this will now be cooked time and time again. Perhaps next time I would even put a little less sugar, and throw in some seeds or nuts... You could toast it and spread it with some extra virgin coconut oil or nut butter too :) Enjoy!

This recipe also used Coconut Sugar which is an unrefined sugar from the coconut palm blossoms with a naturally low Glycemic index. It has a lovely caramel toffee flavour and melts in your mouth  Regular brown sugar has been leached of it's minerals and is highly refined. Brown sugar is simply white or raw sugar which has had caramel or molasses added. Once you have tried this you won't go back to regular brown sugar!  You could also use Rapadura sugar (Panela) which is an unrefined sugar made from evaporated cane sugar juice. Extra virgin coconut oil is also a great oil for baking as it can be heated up to very high temperatures and doesn't oxidised through the cooking process. It is also a very yummy replacement for butter on toast! Make sure the baking powder you are using is aluminium free - I like the one from Honest to Goodness.
 
Biss xx

Ingredients

3 medium very ripe banana

1/2 cup cooked pureed apple or pear

2 organic free range eggs

 2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil (melted but not hot)

2 tablespoons raw agave or maple syrup

1 cup of coconut palm sugar (or Rapadura sugar)

2 cups wholemeal, spelt flour sifted

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

pinch sea salt

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Use a mini food processor and blend the bananas, apple puree, eggs, vanilla, coconut oil, maple syrup and coconut sugar and blend until smooth (alternatively just mash the bananas and beat the eggs and mix all ingredients well)

In a separate large bowl, combine spelt flour, bicarb soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix until combined. Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold gently until mixed.Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes* or until dark golden and cooked through.  Cool a little in a tin before turning out to serve warm.

*NB: As all ovens are a little different so I would recommend you to set your timer to 35 minutes and check it every 10 minutes so as not to under or over cook it.

Biss xx
p.s I made this again the other day and I forgot the coconut oil! It wasn't as 'melt in the mouth' however it was still lovely and disappeared the same day!