This loaf is bananas.

B.A.N.A.N.A.S

Having recently seen a lot of recipes using yoghurt in place of fat in cake mixtures, I wanted to create my own version of banana bread which combines healthier cooking substitutes with the original ingredients. By subtly changing half of the ingredients, the difference in taste is unnoticeable unlike those fat free/low calorie recipes where your 'cake' tastes like a piece of dry sponge. As a general rule in attempting to make recipes healthier, think about the nutritional value of ingredients rather than the calorie content. Here's the recipe for my first attempt, next time I'm trying it with 100% wholemeal flour and oats so will keep you updated!

 Ingredients:

60g wholemeal flour

60 plain flour

40g oats

pinch salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

50g twice-as-sweet sugar

50g melted butter

80g yogurt

capful vanilla extract

shot of freshly brewed coffee, cooled

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs, beaten

Optional: pumpkin seeds, for topping

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

If your bananas are not already ripe, put them into the oven now while you prepare your other ingredients. After around 20 mins, the skins will go black and they will be perfectly ripe. Unless your bananas are at the peak of ripeness I recommend doing this anyway for maximum flavour. When they are cooled, the flesh should scoop out effortlessly.

Combine all of the dry ingredients apart from the oats in a large mixing bowl.

In a blender/liquidizer/food processer, whiz the oats with the eggs until fine. Alternatively, use oat flour in place to save this step. Add the rest of the liquids to the mix and combine thoroughly. 

Fold in the mashed banana and scrape mixture into a greased and lined loaf tin. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if using and bake for around an hour and a half. This loaf takes a while. Test if it's ready by ensuring that the top is nicely browned and a knife comes out clean when plunged into the middle.

This bread is delicious warm or cooled then toasted and spread with nutella or any nut butter. Serve for breakfast with coffee or as a not-so-naughty dessert.