It has been a while since I’ve posted a baked goods recipe and since I had some overly ripe bananas sitting around, as well as walnuts from my family’s farm, making banana nut bread seemed like the perfect thing to do this morning with the help of my little “baking assistant!” Lately, Keenan has been getting better and better with mixing, whisking and adding spices. For a while there, everything in the bowl would fly out onto the counter and floor when he would mix, but now, he can do it while keeping all of the ingredients inside! His favorite thing is smelling the spices first and then gently tapping the container to add them to whatever we are making.
But, we had a little accident over the weekend when he was helping me make dinner. When I was sauteing green beans last Friday night, Keenan wanted to help me add spices. We always tell him to stay away from the stove and hot pans/pots (which he is pretty good with), but as he was helping me add the Italian seasoning, his elbow touched the pan, thus burning it. Luckily it wasn’t too bad (thankfully not warranting a trip to the ER), but it was sure scary, making us extra cautious when he helps in the kitchen. For now, we are having him help with with “non-hot” stuff.
Mashing the bananas (with his bandage over his ouchie)!
Anyhow, I’m excited to share this tasty banana nut bread recipe with you. This is the first time that I’ve attempted a Paleo quick bread and I’m so pleased with how it turned out; perfectly moist and wonderfully rich in flavor! Keenan also LOVES it! After looking through various quick bread recipes in a couple of cookbooks that I had for ideas, I came up with this. I hope you like it!
Prior to baking and the yummy finished product!
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted) + 1 1/2 tsp for greasing your loaf pan
- 1/2 cup xylitol
- 1 Tbsp raw honey
- 3 eggs
- 3 ripe bananas (mashed)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9X5 loaf pan with 1-1 1/2 tsp of coconut oil.
- Beat eggs in a small bowl and add vanilla, honey and coconut oil.
- Blend all dry ingredients (except for walnuts) together in a medium size bowl.
- Lastly, stir in walnuts and banana.
- Pour batter into loaf pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes with foil on top. After 30 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until browned and the center comes out clean when poked with a toothpick.
- Let cool and slice. Eat plain or serve with some almond butter spread on top!
Notes
Your bread will stay fresh in the fridge for several days. When you want a piece, just slice it and reheat in the toaster or microwave, or eat cold.
Questions:
– When your bananas are overly ripe, what do you like to do with them? I usually peel mine and put them in a zip lock bag to save in the freezer for smoothies, but today, I was craving bread!
– Do your little ones like to help you in the kitchen? If so, what is their favorite thing to do?
Oh no! Poor guy! I typically freeze my bananas before they get too ripe so I can use them for smoothies and frozen yogurt. So good! Although I do like a good banana bread and this looks good!
He seems to be taking it very well, fortunately. The hardest part is keeping the bandage dry and in place, since he is so active! Ooh, making frozen yogurt would a great way to use the bananas this Summer…thanks for the idea!
Mmm…that looks delicious. I have an entire bunch of bananas needing tending to, so I may have to give this a try!
Thanks! Let me know how you like it!
I’m like you, and peel them to store in the freezer for future smoothies! This bread recipe looks delicious . . . and I love the mashing bananas picture. 🙂
Thanks, it is really yummy! I think aside from peeling eggs, mashing bananas is Keenan’s other new favorite thing to do in the kitchen; it is too funny!
My son would love to make this with me! I’ve bookmarked it! 🙂
Nice! Let me know how you like it!