Breakfast, Snack: Sugar-free Banana Bread

The key ingredient to this recipe is 3 very ripe bananas. Most of us have them close by, looking one step away from being useless. Today, they are your best friend. Marinating the raisins adds a nice citrus element to the bread – especially the day after baking.

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe large organic bananas
• 1/2 cup of liquid organic honey
• 3 tablespoons light olive oil*
• 1 large free-range egg
• Olive oil spray (or other equivalent)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups of organic whole-wheat flour**
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
• ½ cup mix organic orange juice and filtered water
• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon of organic cinnamon
• 1/2 cup organic raisins* *

*Olive oil in a lighter form can be made by substituting ½ teaspoon water with the remaining 2.5 tablespoons required in the recipe. **Using whole wheat flour is important to get the nutritional and baking results this delicious recipe provides. ***Raisins are wonderful in here, but if you really want accolades try a mix of organic chocolate chips and raisins!

Equipment: mini prep plus, mixing bowl, standard size loaf pan, 2 cup measuring cup, measuring spoons, spatula, cooling rack or oven mat, and I would wear an apron for this one.

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 350 F.

2. Spray your pan including the sides.

3. Take the raisins and soak them in the orange juice/water mixture to rehydrate them.

4. In your mini prep plus, put in your ripe bananas and honey –blend it until smooth. Add egg and whip gently to break up yolk but do not over mix.

5. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

6. Combine all wet ingredients with flour mixture.

7. Pour the final mixture into your pan.

8. Bake for about 40 minutes. Use a toothpick to check on things around 35 minutes – just to be sure.

9. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack, plate or eating.*

*warm calls for organic butter slathered on top like icing.