Were you even in quarantine if you didn’t bake banana bread? That, my friends, is the obvious question. All jokes aside, banana bread took over the food space like no other recipe coulda, shoulda, woulda. It was virtually everywhere, and I am not mad about it.

It seemed like no one could stay still (at home) and process or digest a flurry of thoughts or emotions, so we steadily took the kitchen. An army of newfound bakers who suddenly realized what some of us have known all along: baking is therapeutic.

Banana bread has proved ubiquitous for many reasons: easy pantry staples, everyone’s got spotty bananas they want to save from the compost bin, and you don’t need to be a seasoned baker to get this one right. ALL you need is basic ingredients; 3 bowls, an oven, and the coffee or tea to go along with it.

p.s. this one is a little EXTRA. It involves good old peanut butter in lieu of butter or oil; which is perhaps the best sidekick banana bread could ever find! You will love.

Banana bread tugs at my heart strings because it is the VERY first thing I ever baked as curious little girl. I used to bake it as muffins because I was (and still am, in many ways) an antsy and not-so-very patient baker who can’t wait the 55 minutes it takes for a loaf of banana bread to fully come out of the oven. I would literally sit there hugging the bowl that carried the batter, often licking the spatula

(cautionary note: don’t do this and risk salmonella). 🙂

So….what exactly makes this banana bread EASY and HEALTHY?

• Flour? We use large flake, old-fashioned rolled oats as flour. Yep, DIY flour by simply pulverizing the oats in a high-speed blender for 20 seconds. Believe me, most trusty blenders will do. The oat flour can then be stored in a container with a tight-fitted lid or one of these freezer ziplock bags… pretty wholesome flour if you ask me! You may also use all-purpose flour, I prefer unbleached varieties and there are gluten-free ones available. The exact same measurement applies.
• Gluten? This banana bread is naturally gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free rolled oats. Quite likely; making it the most affordable gluten-free flour there is.
• To Sweeten? we use 4 very ripe, spotty bananas and coconut sugar! If you don’t have coconut sugar, you may use brown sugar. There’s no white, refined sugar involved- at all. Coconut sugar is also much lower on the glycemic index and it gives baked goods a naturally caramel-like taste which goes really well with banana bread.

• How about Butter? We use 3/4 cup of creamy, all-natural peanut butter as our oil plus 1 tbsp of melted coconut oil. They both work like a charm! If you don’t want to do peanut butter; 1/2 cup of vegan butter or standard grass-fed butter will do.
• Eggs? Yep, we need two room temperature eggs. Flax eggs may be used: mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons of water and refrigerate for 10-15 mins for it to thicken nicely before using. Although please note; flax seed eggs or chia eggs yield a slightly crumbly loaf. Peanut butter is the “glue” here; so if you do use egg substitutes; I recommend upping your peanut butter to a full 1 cup.

 

You guys ready? Here we go!