Banana Trail Mix

This recipe can be adapted anyway you like to suit your taste more. Subbing in different nuts and dried fruit makes for more interesting and new ways to enjoy the same base of the recipe.

The recipe uses coconut oil  but that could defiantly be swapped with melted butter. As well, the banana could be swapped with yogurt, you just have to be aware that the final product may come out less sweet.

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup oats

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, divided

1/3 cup chopped candied ginger

1/3 cup chopped dried cherries or cranberries

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (you can sub in chocolate chips)

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, melted

1 cup ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup honey

1 large egg, preferably at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon turbinado (raw) sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan (see note below on how to make muffins).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in 1/2 cup shredded coconut, then mix in the chopped ginger, dried fruit, pecans and dark chocolate.
3. In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, mashed banana, honey, egg and vanilla.*
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Top with a light sprinkle of turbinado (raw) sugar.
5. Bake for until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes or longer. Let the bread cool in the pan before slicing. This bread is dense and not very easy to slice; I found that my sharp paring knife worked better than a serrated bread knife.

*If your coconut oil goes back to its solid state when you’re stirring the batter, just warm the mixture for short 30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each, just until it is melted again. *

Banana Bread

This recipe is actually stolen from grandma`s kitchen!

Inspiration: I decided to make banana bread because it's my Father's favourite. My house always smelled of fresh banana bread because he was so in love with it. I remember he would always let me squish the banana's with my hands, which at the age of 7-17 is very amusing. So this baked good is for him, love you Dad!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup softened butter

2 eggs

3 medium bananas

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cup white sugar.

2. Then add 1butter(better if warm/soft),eggs,  mashed bananas and make sure completely stirred.

3. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees f.

SWITCH IT UP:

Depending on what you like to eat in your loaves, adding chopped walnuts and extra banana's makes for a delicious and one of a kind treat.

From mix to master piece!!