Oat Flour Banana Bread with Apples & Medjool Dates
17:20
"I romanticize life the way artists see scenery or a dreamer gazes up at the stars."- Anastasia Bolinder
Who
has never romanticised an idea? I catch myself idealising concepts or scenarios that I play out in my head. Lately, it’s been about
autumn. I found myself asking
if I truly liked autumn or if I was just kidding myself and summer
truly is my favourite season. Of course you’re allowed to like more than
one season, but my apparent love for autumn seemed to be so strong that
I didn’t even question its bounds. Or if it
even had any bounds or hidden clauses. The answer is: I love autumn up
to the point when it masks itself as winter. If you're from the east
coast, you’ll know what I mean. It’s that time of the year when
technically it’s still considered autumn (before
December 21), but there is either snow on the ground or the additional
wind chill makes you feel anything but
chill.
What
else apart from cosy sweaters, scenic long walks and pumpkin everything
do I romanticise about autumn? Fall baking/cooking, of course! Every
year, I tell myself I’m baking
the best recipes in autumn. Spiced pear cakes. Carrot cake with a thick
layer of cashew frosting. Pumpkin cookies or bread or muffins. Thick
butternut soup with coconut milk. Apple pie. Spaghetti with lots of
basil (don’t ask why this is such a fall meal for
me). That familiar scent in the kitchen of spices like cinnamon and
nutmeg, of warm apples and pumpkin, even of the holidays coming our way.
See? I’m romanticising again.
When
I spotted my spotty bananas on Sunday morning, I knew I should make use
of them before they turn into compost completely. But another banana bread recipe? And another one? Hear me out. My
kitchen is currently overflowing with apples and I don’t know what to
do with them anymore. I don’t like wasting food so I thought, hey why
not, bake banana bread, but throw in some apple chunks just for kicks.
There were medjool dates flirting with me, longing to be devoured. Who am I to turn them away? I threw in some of those, too. I guess my
point is, what I like about fall is all these possibilities. You can keep a bit of summer all the while preparing your body and soul for winter... Because as GoT made famous, winter is coming (just 'round the corner now, folks).
What kitchen dreams are made of <3
Oat Flour Banana Bread with Apples & Medjool Dates
Makes 10 slices
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 cups gluten-free oat flour
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 apple, peeled and diced
- 5 medjool dates, chopped
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a bread pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together oat flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix mashed banana, coconut sugar, almond milk, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Pour the liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients and whisk until incorporated well. Fold in the apples and medjool dates. Save some for topping.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan. Top with apples, dates and oats, if desired.
Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Enjoy! xx
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