Extra-ripe bananas have always had a place in our food life. I wouldn’t use preservatives when my children were young so buying ice cream was difficult the only preservative-free ice cream I knew of then was Golden North honey ice cream and, as good as it was, I needed an alternative. The solution was to freeze super-ripe bananas, which offered an even more natural ice cream so no one felt they were missing out. I don’t need to do this any more but when you have a stash of extra-ripe bananas or see them on sale, don’t let them go to waste. Make this amazing banana bread instead. It’s best eaten warm from the oven, although it’s also delicious the next day toasted and served with fresh banana and yoghurt.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (75 g) walnuts
- ½ cup (70 g) coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 20 g chia seeds
- 300 g extra-ripe banana flesh (about 3 medium bananas)
- 6 free-range eggs
- 8 Medjool dates, seeded
- 3 tablespoons macadamia oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced). Grease a 10 cm x 20 cm loaf tin or similar (you can use a variety of tin sizes as long as the height of the tin allows you to bake the loaf to 7 cm high). Line the base and sides with baking paper, leaving the sides overhanging.
- Place the walnuts on a baking tray and cook for 8–10 minutes or until golden. Pour into a clean tea towel and rub off the skins while still warm. Stand until cool, then chop. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (fan-forced).
- Combine the coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder and chia seeds in a bowl and set aside.
- Place the banana, eggs, dates, macadamia oil and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the coconut flour mixture and pulse until just combined. Stir in half the walnuts, then pour the batter into the prepared tin. Scatter the remaining walnuts over the top, then bake for 35–45 minutes or until a skewer withdraws clean. Remove from the oven and stand to cool slightly.