Whole Grain Healthy Banana Bread: A Winner!

I just hate it when this happens, don't you?  It's so tragic, so senseless, it's just plain rotten!

I swear I buy bananas just to watch them turn black, and I don't like it, not one bit.  

I feel it is my duty to make some sense out of the tragedy.

I owe it to them.

The only problem is that what used to be a low fat fruit, would now be morphing into a calorie laden loaf.

Not the best transition.

So I decided to go in search of something wholesome and healthy.

  

I searched with a smidge of trepidation, as I've mentioned before I have issues, linked back to the generous use of wheat germ in my youth.

But I am an adult now, and I have children to tend to.  

Children who need less sugar and more fibre. 

I was on a quest.

After some serious searching,  I found a recipe that looked promising, possibly even something that could play to a sold out crowd.

Warning:  The writer of this blog, for some inexplicable reason felt the need to use a recipe sporting analogy?  She is a complex individual who wonders, what it would have been like to have brothers.  And believes wonders wishes she could have been a part of these sorts of conversations.  Which she imagines occurred in testosterone filled family homes when baking banana bread, all while punching eachother in the arms.  The end.

The bowl above is filled with only 1/2 a cup of brown sugar, and 3/4 cups of milled flax seed.  

Can we say top ten healthy superstar food?

It was hard, but five of those ripened bananas were willing to sacrifice themselves for the team.

It was quick and painless.  I promise.

Unfortunately we did not have the low fat sour cream that was required, so a quick yogurt substitute was called in to the game.  

It was a special teams unit.

the wet ingredients were then invited to the post game party....

and the soiree was a big lumpy success.  

(remember lumps are good, every good player gets them along with the bumps)

The pan was prepared, as all pans should be.

Waiting to bring home the hardware.

I'm sorry I don't have a picture of the big play, it was too exciting and... well...the darn cheerleaders got in the way. 

 What looked like...

a touchdown? or was that a home run? or perhaps a goal? 

was placed in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour and ten minutes.

The girls were extremely impatient, so I explained what every athlete needs to do after every game.

The oh so important, icing down.

She was a beauty, at the top of her game.

But what did she taste like? Was she just a one game wonder who got by on her looks?

 I needed to know.

So I brought in the Iron Pastry Chef,  and waited with bated breath.

It looked as though a few bites along with a little raspberry jam were needed to reach a final score.

 And the overall verdict was...

 mmftff mmm gfgglood.

It was close,  but she WON in overtime!

I was pleasantly surprised.  The loaf was hearty, and very moist.  I was afraid the large amount of ground flax seed would overwhelm the recipe, but it didn't. So often these types of recipes end up tasting like a big o'l block of sawdust, but I found this recipe to be very tasty, plus it smelled unbelievably good when it was in the oven.  For the future I want to try adding some sunflower seeds (we are a nut free school) and possibly some dried cranberries or cherries.  

Also when I make this recipe again,I will try muffin tins, or a slightly larger loaf pan.  It was just a little doughy for my liking, but,  had I let it bake any longer,  the crust would have been too dark.  

note: No one else seemed to mind.  

Once again:  I do not believe in reinventing the wheel, so here is the link to the recipe and be sure to ignore the ugly picture.  

I made the changes suggested by the first reviewer, and will definitely be making this healthy low fat, high fibre banana bread again.

Happy Baking!

Your Bananas will thank you.

  xo

Dana