Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

This recipe is only very slightly adapted from Whole Foods for the Whole Family, a cook book I've used a lot that is put out by La Leche League International.  It's our favorite banana bread recipe to date.



Whole Wheat Banana Bread

1 3/4 C. whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 C. oil (or butter)
1/2 C. honey (or Rapadura or Sucanat)
2 eggs, beaten
1 C. mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
1/4 C. hot water
1/2 C. chopped pecans or other nuts

Sift dry ingredients together. Cream oil and honey in large bowl.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in bananas.  Add dry ingredients alternately with hot water, mixing well after each addition.  Fold in pecans.  Pour into greased 5*9-inch loaf pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes.  Invert onto wire rack to cool completely before slicing.  Freezes well. 


Lately I make this without any nuts at all, because that's the way we decided we like it best once when we did a taste test.  If I use oil it's usually olive oil (may have tried coconut but can't remember), but I used all butter this last time and it's great.  I did half Sucanat and half honey for the sweetener this time too.  I've wondered lately whether one could substitute milk for the water, and although I use hot water, I'm really not sure what the point of it being hot is... thoughts?  This makes good banana muffins, too; just put in muffin tins instead and shorten the cooking time. 

You can freeze overripe bananas ahead of time for this, either peeled or unpeeled.  It's wise to label them, at least if they're peeled.  Then you can make banana bread when it's convenient for you.  Unless you forget about them for a long time, and when you eventually clean out your freezer there are so many frozen bananas that the situation just screams BANANA BREAD!, whether it's the most convenient thing or not.  Not that I've had that happen. 

Frozen overripe bananas aren't the most appetizing thing in the world to look at.  Don't think about it.  Just thaw, peel  if needed, mash them and add to your bread.  Or pancakes, or waffles, or whatever you like.  Yummy!

I made 6 loaves of banana bread Monday night (I recommend starting earlier in the day, by the way, if you value your sleep -- sweet bread takes a long time to cook and another long time to cool!), and so far my crew has gobbled down two and is working on a third. :)

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This recipe is linked to Real Food Wednesday, hosted at Kelly the Kitchen Kop

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