Sugar Free Banana Bread

I (Jo) loved banana bread when I was growing up. It was one of my mom’s specialties. She made it whenever we had bananas “starting to turn.” And now I make it when we have overripe bananas and my daughter loves it.

Of course, I can’t leave conventional recipes alone. After some trial and error I developed this new version of banana bread. The result is a super healthy, vegan, wheat free, sugar free banana bread recipe

The topping makes this bread extra special. A simple combination of maple syrup, cinnamon and crushed walnuts gets spread along the top of the batter before it’s cooked. When it’s all done, the topping is a sweet crunchy treat on top of delicious banana bread.

Ingredients:

(use organic whenever possible)

1/3 cup virgin unrefined coconut oil (melted and cooled)

2 ripe bananas

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cup oat flour

1/4 cup arrowroot powder (or tapioca starch)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

dash of sea salt

about 1/3 cup water

1/2 cup crushed walnuts (optional)

Topping (optional, but oh so good!)

1/3 cup crushed walnuts

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt coconut oil in a sauce pan on medium low heat and set aside to cool.
3. Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add maple syrup and cinnamon and stir well.
4. Whisk in cooled liquid coconut oil.
5. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and add them to the wet ingredients. Stir well.
6. Stir in enough water (about 1/3 cup) to reach the consistency of a loose batter.
7. Stir in walnuts.
8. Oil the pan(s) and then pour in the batter leaving room for some rise.
9. Mix up topping and spoon it onto the top of the batter.
10. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes for a loaf or 25 minutes for muffins. Test with a knife or toothpick – it will come out clean when the bread is done.