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.
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