Today is National Banana Bread Day! Are you celebrating? If you say no, because you don’t have a recipe, well, I have the solution! If you don’t have a kitchen but still want to celebrate, your other option is to buy a slice from Oppenheimer or Diversions and I highly encourage you do just that.
This recipe is one I adapted from allrecipes.com during winter break. I chose to bump up the nutritional value of this recipe and subbed part of the flour for wheat germ. You can also use applesauce instead of butter to lower the fat content.
In case you didn’t know, wheat germ is full of nutrients. It offers B vitamins, phytosterols that help to reduce cholesterol and lower risk of heart disease. The phytosterols also contain omega-3 which help to reduce cholesterol levels, as well as lower anxiety levels and improve mood.
Wheat germ contains a number of minerals, including zinc, magnesium, calcium, selenium and manganese, aiding in the chemical processes that repair the body.
Finally, if you aren’t yet convinced to add wheat germ to this recipe, it also contains vitamin E. This vitamin aides liver detoxification, immune function and blood glucose control for both healthy and diabetic individuals.
Another option you have in this recipe is to boost the protein and add a kick of peanut flavor by adding peanut flour.
Now, on to the recipe!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups wheat germ (or peanut flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cups butter or applesauce
3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2-3 large bananas, mashed
Optional additions: chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit
Steps
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a loaf pan.
2) In a large bowl combine wheat germ, flour, salt and baking soda.
3) In a different bowl, cream the butter (or applesauce) and sugar. Stir in the eggs and mashed bananas and blend well.
4) Combine the wet and dry ingredients until just moist and pour into greased loaf pan.
5) Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of loaf comes out clean.
6) Let cool and enjoy!
Happy National Banana Bread Day!
