Healthy Eats: Chocolate & Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Everyone loves a bit of banana bread and it’s the perfect way to satisfy those pangs of hunger without feeling guilty afterwards. This recipe is hearty, moist, really satisfying and perfect as a snack or breakfast on the go. I always find that I’m left with a few really ripe bananas at the end of the week so it’s a fantastic way to use them up. Many recipes have brown sugar in them but I have found that the sweetness of the ripe bananas and the agave/maple syrup is more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Makes a loaf with 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 3 medium ripe bananas (1.5 cups)
• 3.5 tsp baking powder
• pinch sea salt
• 1/3 cup salted natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
• 2.5 Tbsp raw coconut oil, melted
• 2-3 Tbsp agave or maple syrup, depending on ripeness of bananas
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 1/4 cup ground almonds
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 cup organic 70% chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 175oC and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the egg and add banana and mash thoroughly.
3. Add all ingredients through to the almond milk and whisk vigorously to combine.
4. Add cocoa powder, ground almonds, brown rice flour and oats and stir.
5. Last, stir in chocolate chips.
6. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour – 1 hour, 5 minutes. When ready, it should feel firm and be crackly on top.
7. Let cool completely before cutting or it will be too tender to hold form (preferably overnight).
8. Store completely cooled leftovers in a covered container for up to 5 days, though it’s definitely best when fresh. Slice and freeze for longer term storage.