Banana bread revamped and loaded with essential fatty acids.

When it comes to recipes, we all have a few go-to classics, many that we grew up on. Be it apple pie, banana bread or oatmeal cookies, these are our comfort foods. But a lot of the comforting concoctions stashed in our mothers’ and grandmothers’ recipe books were born straight out of the 50s, a time certainly not equated with being health conscious. Fortunately classic recipes can be revamped, and this month in Sunday Recipe we’ll be doing a little experimenting in the kitchen to bring you healthier versions of our favorite classics.

EcoSalon’s Managing Editor Amy DuFault came to me with her mother’s recipe for banana bread, along with the comment, “Been eating this since I was a kid, and this is still how I make it- help!”

Challenge accepted. Here is the original recipe:

Elly D’s Banana Bread

• 2/3 Cups Shortening
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups mashed, ripe bananas
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs

A pretty straightforward recipe, the main culprits are the mass amount of sugar and the shortening, and although I tend to always err on the side of “more butter” in recipes, there is always a time and place for trying new things. Enter, avocado. Yes, avocado. It’s a great substitute for butter and in this recipe, it makes for a very dense and moist bread. And while we’re packing this bread with essential fatty acids, why not throw in some walnuts and sprinkle it with flaxseeds for a nice finishing touch?

Elly D’s Banana Bread Revamped With Avocado and Flaxseeds

Ingredients

• 1 mashed medium size avocado
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups mashed, ripe bananas
• 2/3 cups nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup hempmilk (you can use any type of milk)
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup honey (this depends on how sweet you want your bread)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• Flaxseeds for topping (optional)

Directions

Beat eggs and add in rest of wet ingredients. Beat with a whisk until you get a pureed consistency.

In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients.

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased baking pan. Sprinkle with flaxseeds.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.

If you’re really feeling decadent, top it off with some chocolate hazelnut spread.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For March it’s all about revamping classics into healthier versions. Enjoy!

The post Sunday Recipe: Healthy Banana Bread appeared first on EcoSalon.