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Recipes

Classic Banana Bread with Vanilla-Tahini Butter

THE ULTIMATE SOUL-SOOTHING FOOD GETS AN UPGRADE, THANKS TO A NUTTY SPREAD WITH NOTES OF HONEY AND BRIGHT PUMPKIN

Recipes

Classic Banana Bread with Vanilla-Tahini Butter

THE ULTIMATE SOUL-SOOTHING FOOD GETS AN UPGRADE, THANKS TO A NUTTY SPREAD WITH NOTES OF HONEY AND BRIGHT PUMPKIN

Banana bread is a soul-soothing food, so we came up with a plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free version that trades processed flour and sugar for protein-dense oats, almond meal, coconut palm sugar and raw honey, and chopped nuts. To make it even more decadent, we've added a velvety spread that's the perfect combination of mineral and vitamin-rich tahini and antioxidant-packed squash.

Ingredients (Makes 12 slices)

For the banana bread

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
3 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil, melted, plus more for the pan
3 medium-ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
3 tablespoons raw honey
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups almond meal
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats
3/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
1 cup hazelnuts, finely chopped

For the vanilla-tahini butter

1 cup store-bought organic pumpkin puree
1 cup tahini
2 tablespoons wildflower honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Himalayan salt, to taste

Directions:

Make the banana bread: In a small bowl, stir together the flaxseed meal with 2 tablespoons of water. Allow the mixture to sit for 2 minutes to thicken slightly.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with oil and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the bananas, vanilla, oil, sugar, honey, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flaxseed meal-water mixture. Add the almond meal, flour, and oats. Stir until combined. Fold in the almonds and hazelnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the bread feels firm and the top has turned golden brown and is slightly cracked. If the bread starts to brown too quickly, cover with foil and continue baking.
Make the vanilla-tahini butter: In a food processor or blender, combine the pumpkin, tahini, honey, and vanilla with a pinch of salt and blend until smooth.
Enjoy the bread warm, slathered with the tahini butter and a tiny sprinkle of salt. Store leftovers in the fridge—the bread for up to 3 days, the tahini for up to 5. This bread also freezes well. Wrap the loaf in foil and a freezer-safe plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

More Cozy, Nutrient-Dense Recipes:

Winter Recipes for the Non-Practicing Cook

Daydreamer Soba Noodle Bowl

Healing Hot Cocoa

By S LIFE MAG • April 8, 2020

Photographer: Lianna Tarantin

Filed Under: Recipes