When Life Gives You Bananas…

Is it just me? Or does the sight of those last couple speckled bananas languishing on the countertop trigger an automatic imperative to bake banana bread?

Today’s super simple recipe, from Forks Over Knives Cookbook is a bit more enlightened, not to mention lighter in calories, being completely oil-free–but still quite tasty and good. The perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of afternoon tea.

Banana Bread (Oil-Free, Vegan)

(recipe courtesy Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt ( I use 1 tsp.)

1 cup mashed banana (3 bananas should do it)

1/2 cup 100% pure maple syrup

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare an 8 x 4 loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside.

Blend together the milk, applesauce and maple syrup. Make sure they are room temperature for best results. If not, warm gently to bring up the temperature, but do not heat!

Add the mashed banana and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the wet ingredients and gently mix until just combined and no dry flour is visible.

Spread into loaf pan and bake immediately on center rack of oven for approximately 45-55 minutes. Check around the 45 minute mark. Signs of doneness will be golden brown at edges of bread, with pulling away from sides of pan. The interior should be moist, so PLEASE don’t go and overbake it until the toothpick comes out clean.