I hadn't had a good banana bread in what seemed like eons. The gluten free ones tend to be gummy, the plant-based ones are waaaaay too sweet, and the paleo ones are more often than not dense as a brick. Thankfully, this one has none of those qualities. 

As I've set into this new website from my old one (blondeherbivore.com) it has me thinking about the kinds of recipes I develop and share. I'm going to spend the next couple of weeks with  a focus on classic recipes that need a remake using functional food ingredients. Starting with banana bread seems like a good one. Sweetened only with ripe bananas, not made with any crazy flours, and slices like a dream. I hope you give this one a try! 

The key to getting a good banana bread without adding any sugar is to use super ripe bananas. When I say "super ripe", I mean that the bananas nearly mush in your hands. Ever wonder why bananas turn brown? Ethylene is a plant hormone present in bananas and is responsible for their browning. Ethylene breaks down the starch and pectin in bananas into simple sugars as they ripen, making them (obviously) sweeter but also easier to digest for many. 

As with any fruit or source of carbohydrate, it's important to pair it with a source of fat to avoid having a major blood sugar and insulin spike. Between the almond flour, eggs, and melted ghee or coconut oil, there's plenty of fat to keep you stable. If you want to go grain free in this recipe, sub the 1/2 cup of sprouted oat flour for equal parts almond flour. 

Ingredients

• 4 eggs

• 3 bananas, super ripe

• 3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil, melted

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

• pinch of celtic sea salt

• 1 1/4 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup arrowroot flour

• 1/2 cup sprouted oat flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

• optional: 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Mash the ripe bananas first. Then, mix eggs and melted ghee or coconut oil into mashed bananas until smooth. Add all dry ingredients, mix again until smooth. 

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, bake for 55 minutes. Remove from loaf pan to let cool on a drying rack before slicing. Refrigerate up to store. 

The slices of banana bread I photographed are spread with raw local honey, homemade sprouted almond butter, and celtic sea salt. I also love to toast a slice of banana bread and spread it with a bit of ghee.

As for that foamy beverage, that's a cup of chicory tea thrown in the blender with ashwagandha, cinnamon, brazil nuts, and collagen peptides. If you're looking to support hormone and thyroid balance, it's my go-to drink. Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb, but I will warn you it has a strong bitter flavor. For combat that, I add cinnamon. Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium that's an important mineral to support healthy thyroid function. And lastly collagen peptides, you can read about my experience with them here!