Banana bread

I have already posted a banana bread recipe on the blog, but I have recently made a new version of it which I think is cakier and a bit sweeter. It’s less healthy than the previous banana bread, but I wanted to share this with you as it’s definitely tasty!

As with all banana breads, the only reason I actually baked it was because I had 4 over ripe bananas in the house. I was originally going to make chocolate truffles yesterday, but I couldn’t let the poor bananas go to waste…and I’m a big fan of not wasting food (to the point that last week I ate a whole pack of out of date brussel sprouts on their own as a snack…I wouldn’t recommend).

As I said, the only reason I make banana bread is to use up old bananas…but when I’ve made it I remember that I really, really like it! I’ve had a piece this afternoon and it has kept me going all the way through until dinner, and it felt like such a treat! This evening I’m planning on toasting some and having it with butter…ahhh I want some now! (but I really should have dinner before having my second piece of cake).

Although I said this recipe is less healthy than the recipe I previously posted, I like to find health benefits in everything I make. I have used walnuts in this banana bread. I’m going through a bit of a walnut phase at the moment – I love to use them in pesto, in stir frys and in cakes. They are super healthy for you and so worth chucking in any recipe you can. There are 6 key health benefits to walnuts:

1. Cancer-Fighting Properties

Walnuts may help reduce your risk of prostate and breast cancer. In one study, mice that ate the human equivalent of 2.4 ounces of whole walnuts for 18 weeks had significantly smaller and slower-growing prostate tumors compared to the control group that consumed the same amount of fat but from other sources. Overall the whole walnut diet reduced prostate cancer growth by 30 to 40 percent. According to another study on mice, the human equivalent of just two handfuls of walnuts a day cut breast cancer risk in half, and slowed tumor growth by 50 percent as well.

2. Heart Health

Walnuts contain the amino acid l-arginine, which offers multiple vascular benefits to people with heart disease, or those who have increased risk for heart disease due to multiple cardiac risk factors. Eating just four walnuts a day has been shown to significantly raise blood levels of heart-healthy ALA, and walnut consumption supports healthful cholesterol levels.

3. Antioxidants

Antioxidants are crucial to your health – they control how fast you age by combating free radicals which are at the core of age-related deteriation.

Walnuts contain antioxidants that are so powerful at free-radical scavenging that researchers called them ‘remarkable’

4. Weight Control

Adding healthy amounts of nuts such as walnuts to your diet can help you to maintain your ideal weight over time.

5. Brain Health

Walnuts contain a number of neuroprotective compounds, including vitamin E, folate, melatonin, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants. Research shows walnut consumption may support brain health, including increasing inferential reasoning in young adults.

6. Diabetes

The beneficial dietary fat in walnuts has been shown to improve metabolic parameters in people with type 2 diabetes.

So not only is this recipe super tasty, comforting and delicious….it also contains walnuts which, in conclusion, will make you live longer and feel healthier!

This recipe is a one bowl recipe- so it’s simple and requires very little washing up!

Ingredients

2 cups gluten free plain flour

4-5 very ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup sugar

½ cup softened butter

2 eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup walnuts

Method

1.     Preheat oven to 175 degrees oC.

2.     Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan, set aside.

3.     In a large bowl, mash the bananas until a paste

4.     Ass the flour, baking soda, baking powder, eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla and salt

5.     Whisk until light and fluffy

6.     Add the walnuts

7.      Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

8.     Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

9.     Let bread cool in pan for at couple of minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Enjoy!