Banana Nut Bread

We’ll be heading out to go skiing tomorrow, so things will be quiet around here for a week or so. I leave you with this recipe…

This recipe makes a moist and flavorful loaf again and again. And can you beleive it’s 100% whole wheat? Serve warm or at room temperature slavered with butter, or spread with cream cheese.

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:: Banana Nut Bread ::

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Adapted from The New Best Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (8 ounces) white whole wheat flour
• 1¼ cups walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped coarse
• ¾ cup sucanat, rapadura, demerara or granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3-4  large, darkly speckled bananas, mashed well (about 1½ cups)
• ¼ cup whole plain yogurt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Extra banana, for garnish, optional

1) Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and nuts. In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla until well blended. Gently fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula just until combined. Batter with be thick and chunky.

3) Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Garnish with slices of banana if desired. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes.

4) Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Gently loosen the edges with a knife. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes one large loaf